The Other Side
by ancientgirl
Summary: COMPLETE Elizabeth Summers has been plagued by tragedy. Her cousin has been killed, her parents are dead and she has been promised to a man she does not trust.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 1  
  
She looked out the window. Not quite believing how much her life had changed in the last few months. Her cousin Faith had been killed. It was believed by some animal, due to the bites on her body and the complete loss of blood. They buried her only to find that grave robbers had stolen her body the next day.  
  
Her family had been so heartbroken that they had sold their castle to a stranger that had come in from Ireland. He was a Lord, or at least that is how his servants referred to him. Lord Angelus had made his presence known quite well in the short months that followed. He made it be known that he had come in search of a wife.  
  
Elizabeth lived outside the edge of the village, near the sea. The manor was quite striking. She loved it here. The sound of the sea crashing into the rocks below the cliffs, were like music to her ears. She thought of Faith. It had always been Elizabeth, Faith and Willow. They had grown from little girls to women together. They were like sisters. They had planned to go away to London together, to find husbands, to get married, and to have babies. But now Faith was gone and Angelus disapproved of Willow because of her interest in what he called the black arts. All of her dreams had faded.  
  
In the months that followed Faiths death, and the coming of Lord Angelus, Elizabeth's parents had decided that their daughter was of age to be a wife. Lord Angelus attended her 18th birthday party and immediately decided that Elizabeth would be his wife. The day after the party her father Earl Summers had told her that he had promised her hand in marriage to Angelus.  
  
Although she should have been more upset, she wasn't. She knew that she had to go on with her life, she was no longer a child. Truth be told, Angelus was quite handsome, and seemed to be quite gentle in all of his attentions towards her. There was something that bothered her about him though. It was his eyes. There was darkness in them that she could not explain. When they first met she felt a chill run up her spine, and felt as though the air had been taken from her lungs. It wasn't love, that much she knew, but she was attracted to him and was beginning to grow quite fond of him despite her initial apprehension. There was although always a hint of fear inside her heart; her mother The Countess Joyce told her that it would pass. The fear was merely nerves and nothing more. Elizabeth knew better, but she knew her parents wanted her to marry Lord Angelus, so she dismissed her feelings. Perhaps he would become the great love of her life in time.  
  
As the weeks passed, her world grew more and more empty and frightening. A month before she was to marry Angelus her parents were murdered on a trip back from France. They had been killed and robbed by highwaymen. Surely this must be a curse thought Elizabeth. So much tragedy. Why?  
  
It was raining now as she looked across the landscape. The morning sun hidden by the clouds, yet she could see slivers of light escaping through some of the rain clouds. She could hear the servants scurrying outside her room. Tomorrow, just before the sunset she would be walking down the isle towards the man that would be her husband. He had been quite patient with her this past month. He had taken to handling the affairs of the household and managing the estate that her parents had left her. He was she thought, her knight in shining armor.  
  
There was a knock at her door and it opened. It was Willow.  
  
"Willow! How did you get past the servants?" said Elizabeth  
  
"Well, luckily some of them are new enough not to know who I am. I said I was here to make some last minute measurements to take back to the seamstress" Willow smiled as she ran to Elizabeth the hug her.  
  
It had been weeks since she had seen Willow. Her friend was such a great comfort to her at these times. How she longed to be able to talk to her friend as they used to.  
  
"So tomorrow is the day." Asked Willow.  
  
Elizabeth gave a heavy sigh and turned back to the window.  
  
"Yes." She was silent for a moment and then turned to look at Willow.  
  
"Willow, something isn't right. I know this sounds strange, but I feel as though I will not live to see myself married to Angelus" Willow looked at her in shock.  
  
"Buffy did you have one of those dreams you use to have like when we were children?" She walked to Elizabeth and put her hand on her shoulder. Only Elizabeth's friends called her Buffy. Angelus thought it was too childish a name, and too much a part of her past. It seemed as though he wanted nothing to exist before him.  
  
"No, it's just something I feel. I..I can't explain it. It's like something I know. Like I know the sun will set today, and I know it will rise tomorrow. That is how I feel." She looked at Willow and immediately knew what she was thinking.  
  
"No Willow. Its not like that, I'm not going to kill myself." She smiled as she saw her friend relax. They sat on the chaise near the window. Willow rested her head on Elizabeth's lap. They stayed like that for a few moments and then Willow sat up.  
  
"Please, try to get some rest. I know you aren't in love with him, but you do care for him don't you?" Elizabeth looked at her and nodded. "Buffy, you're getting married tomorrow. Be happy, you deserve some happiness." She kissed Elizabeth's cheek.  
  
"Maybe you're right. I'm just tired. I wish you could be here to see me tomorrow, but, I know Angelus doesn't approve of our friendship." She walked to the bed. "I promise after we get married, I'll explain to him that what you do isn't evil. He just doesn't understand it and it frightens him." Willow walked to her and gave her a hug then went to the door. Before she opened it she hesitated and looked back at Elizabeth. She felt a sadness come over her. At that moment, she knew that something was going to happen. She felt something ominous around Elizabeth, and she knew she could not prevent what would happen. She opened the door and left before the tears fell from her eyes.  
  
The afternoon passed quickly and as the evening rolled in, the manor grew quite. She decided that it was time to come out of her room. She walked down to the grand hall. It was lovely. The afternoon had been spent decorating for the reception. Since it was going to be an evening affair there were candles everywhere around the room waiting to be lit. Velvet fabric the color of her golden hair hung everywhere. The tables set with fine Wedgwood china, the chairs covered in a dark green silk. In the morning the flowers would be placed on the tables and around the pillars that lined the walls. She closed her eyes, and for a moment tried to imagine what it would look like to see the room filled with guests and music and most of all laughter. Then she thought she heard a faint voice calling her name.  
  
She looked out towards the garden. The doors were open and there was a breeze coming and stirring the gold table linen. The wind she thought. That's what it must have been.  
  
Buffy.  
  
Again. There it was again. This time it was clearer. She walked to the doors and stood just inside the frame. The night air smelled clean, just as it always does after the rain. She felt something out there. It was an eerie feeling; she should have been scared, yet she wasn't. Whomever or whatever this was, knew her.  
  
Buffy, outside. Come outside with me.  
  
She closed her eyes and stepped out. The cool air hit her face. It almost felt like a caress. She thought of Angelus, and how tomorrow it would be his hands caressing her. She walked down the steps that led into the garden. She walked towards the fountain ahead of her. Because of the wind, the clouds drifted across the sky and revealed the full moon. The grounds were now bathed in moonlight. Elizabeth stopped. There was someone standing in front of the fountain. It was a woman. Her dress flowed along with the wind. That dress. It seemed so familiar.  
  
She gathered her nightgown and her robe and walked toward the figure.  
  
Come here.  
  
She walked a little faster. The wind started blowing harder. She started to run now, the faster she ran the cooler the wind on her face felt. As she approached, the figure turned. She froze, and time stood still.  
  
"Faith." 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 2  
  
She didn't know how long she stood in front of this vision of her cousin. Was this a dream? It had to be. Faith was dead and worse yet her body stolen and no doubt defiled by grave robbers. She took a step towards the figure and reached out to touch it.  
  
She was solid, and frighteningly cold. Her hand snapped back as if it had been burned. Faith smiled.  
  
"I'm real Buffy." She took a step towards her cousin, only to have Elizabeth step away.  
  
"No, you, she is dead. Faith is dead. I saw her buried." Her voice trembled as she whispered the final words.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you. Please believe me. I have things to tell you. There is so much you need to know. This is all going to be difficult to explain, and I need you to trust me and listen to me. You must listen to me Buffy. I came back to help you. Please, let me talk to you." Her eyes. There was something different inside of them, yet Buffy saw the emotion of her words reflected in them. Elizabeth stepped towards her cousin and embraced her. She was real, it was her.  
  
"Your are ice cold. How long have you been standing out here?"  
  
"Not long really. What I have to say to you can wait no further. Can we go inside?" Elizabeth nodded and started walking back to the manor, with Faith following behind her. As they grew closer to the open doors that lead into the great hall Faith stopped. Elizabeth walked inside and was halfway across the room until she realized that Faith had stayed outside.  
  
"Faith? What are you doing? Why are you just standing there?" She looked puzzled. Faith looked down at the ground just across the threshold, a small-unseen tear streaming down her face.  
  
"I cannot enter Buffy. Not until you invite me inside" her head was still looking down. Elizabeth walked towards her. She felt a tinge of fear.  
  
"You practically grew up in this house with me, you need no invitation to enter." She stopped just 3 feet from the threshold herself. Faith's body started to shake, and she closed her eyes. Her head still bowed down to the ground as she spoke.  
  
"Buffy please," her voice broke and now whispered, "just trust me. Invite me in." her face now wet with tears. Elizabeth was taken aback, but complied with Faith's request. She stepped back and spoke, in barely a whisper.  
  
"All right. Faith, please come into my home." Faith opened her eyes lifted her head, and walked inside.  
  
"Thank you." Faith gave her a faint smile, "I no longer walk in this world as I once did. I live, yet I am not alive. I am not a ghost, for as you can feel, I am flesh. I.. I am a vampire" She could hear the beating of Elizabeth's heart, and worst of all, she could smell the fear. She dared not approach Elizabeth, knowing that she would either faint or run away.  
  
"No," Elizabeth shook her head as she backed away. She stopped, she felt as though the ground was rising to meet her. She felt herself fall; yet she was still conscious. Faith stepped immediately beneath her and caught her before she hit the ground fully. She cradled Elizabeth in her arms and brushed the hair from her face. Elizabeth caught Faiths hand and looked into her eyes once more. There it was, there was the darkness she had seen in the garden. It was still Faith though. She could still see the fire in those deep brown eyes. Faith sat her up, and they were silent. Elizabeth waited until she felt she could walk.  
  
"I think I'm ready to hear what happened to you. Do you still want to tell me?" asked Elizabeth.  
  
"Yes." Faith stood and helped her to her feet. They walked to Elizabeth's room and sat together on the chaise next to the window and Faith began to tell her tale.  
  
"One evening a few months ago, I was looking out onto the countryside. I wanted to be outside so badly, I felt like I would burst just being locked up in my room. I hadn't been feeling well for a few days prior and so mother would not let me set so much as a foot out of my room. But I had to get out. The night was just too beautiful to look at from inside a window. I waited until everyone had fallen asleep and went out into the garden. It was still warm and I could hear the sea from a distance." Faith stood up and walked to the window.  
  
"As I walked out further into the garden I felt a tingling in the back of my neck. It was as if I was being watched. I walked a bit further and as fast as I could, I turned around. And there he was." She turned and dropped to her knees and took Elizabeth by the hands smiling.  
  
"Oh Buffy he was the vision I had always dreamed would come for me. He was tall with dark hair like my own. He apologized for frightening me and introduced himself."  
  
"Please forgive me. I did not mean to frighten you so," said the stranger as he took her hand and kissed it. Faith smiled and bowed her head slightly.  
  
"Oh, its quite all right. I should have been more alert. But then, I was not expecting anyone on my fathers property at this late hour, especially someone whom I have never met" She looked into his eyes for what seemed like hours.  
  
"I am truly sorry" he smiled and took her hand "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Wesley Wyndam Price." He clicked his heels and bowed to her and softly kissed her hand as gentleman do sometimes.  
  
"I am very pleased to meet you Mr. Price." He was holing onto her longer than a gentleman should. She realized this quickly and pulled it away.  
  
"Oh, no, you see that simply will not do." He stepped closer "Please call me Wesley." he took another step closer. She did not move.  
  
"I have met you before, I am sure of it. You feel so familiar to me, yet I cannot quite place you." She wondered how she could forget such a man, but she was certain they had met. Still he walked closer to her, and still she did not move.  
  
"Ahh, my sweet Faith, we have met before." He walked behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He then whispered in her ear. "It is in your dreams where we have met," he paused and felt her shiver, then he continued speaking to her as he started to run his hands slowly down her shoulders to her arms. "It is in your dreams where I have loved you." He kissed her neck and felt her quiver beneath his touch. Her eyes were closed. Yes. Now she remembered. It was him. Her dreams of their moments together were so audacious she had not dared tell anyone, not even Buffy or Willow, who were the two people she shared everything with.  
  
"I have loved you for so long Faith, and now I am here to take you with me." He came to face her again. "Come with me." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his kiss.  
  
"It was at that moment, Buffy, that I truly felt alive. I had never known true happiness until his lips met mine." She closed her eyes and touched her fingers to her lips. "When our lips parted, he looked into my eyes, and brushed the hair from my face. And then, then he asked me something."  
  
"I walk in a different world than you do my love. To walk away with me you must first do one thing" he caressed her face.  
  
"Yes, anything" she placed her hand on his. His skin was cold.  
  
"Do you want to die in my arms?" He leaned down and kissed her once again. His mouth opened and his tongue brushed her bottom lip. She looked at him as he lifted his head.  
  
"Yes." She whispered and closed her eyes.  
  
He kissed her again on the lips. Then slowly he left her mouth and continued to her cheek, then down her jaw line, and the soft tender flesh of her neck. Her blood now pumped viciously through her veins. He placed a hand on her breast and squeezed lightly. She felt a heat inside of her that she never felt possible. He felt her arms come around his neck and push his head down against her. Her other arm running up his back. She knew what he was now and she was welcoming him. That was all the permission he needed. He plunged his sharp teeth into her neck. She gasped, her eyes opened wide to look at the night sky. She felt the air leaving her body, but she didn't care. She felt him, taking her blood, taking her life, yet she drew him nearer to her.  
  
"Wesley, yes, take me with you." She closed her eyes and she was gone.  
  
There was a look of pure ecstasy on her face as her right hand slowly reached her neck. She turned her head to the right, and there were two very small scars.  
  
Elizabeth stared at her for a moment, mesmerized by her story, and the thought of the stranger who had taken her into his world. Faith turned and opened her eyes to look at Elizabeth.  
  
"I walk in his world now Buffy, I belong to another realm, and I am the happiest I have ever been. There is strength inside of me that I cannot describe. I feel everything, hear everything. My senses are connected to this world in a way that you cannot even begin to imagine. I know I am frightening you, and I would have spared you this confusion, but I had to come and see you. I had to warn you. If you marry Lord Angelus you will befall the same fate as your mother and father." Faith stood up and sat next to Elizabeth again.  
  
"Faith, they were killed by highwaymen. They were robbed and left to die. What does their death have to do with my marriage to Angelus? Now Elizabeth's stomach was churning. Until know she had accepted the tale told to her by Faith with no question. Whatever Faith was now, she knew that her cousin would never lie to her or hurt her. She had come to accept this arrangement her father made, and thought someday she would come to care for Angelus and perhaps even love him. But now the doubts she had in the beginning were coming back in waves.  
  
"After I was buried, Wesley came for me and took me from the coffin. We went back to my home and gathered some of my clothing. I took only a few things. Just enough to get me by, but not enough for anyone to notice missing. He took me to Ireland with him. He needed to close some of his older accounts so that we could come back and live in England for a while. Angelus lived in an estate outside of Dublin, and was making plans to move to England as well. He came into a small inn were Wesley and I had been staying and started inquiring if any of the locals had visited England recently. The innkeeper pointed him in our direction. He was quite polite and offered to buy us our dinner if we would inform him of the happenings. Wesley asked him why he wanted to go to England. Angelus said he wanted to buy some land and marry. He had grown tired of Ireland and wanted to make a fresh start elsewhere. Wesley told him that he most probably would not find what he was looking for in England, thanked him for his offer of dinner and we walked out. I didn't know quite why he had been so rude, until he told me just who Angelus was." She waited for what she had just told Buffy to sink in until she continued.  
  
"It was rumored that Angelus came into his fortune by having his father killed. His father was killed by highwaymen." Elizabeth felt her head grow light, but she held herself straight. She needed to hear this. "It is believed the highwaymen were in fact hired assassins." Elizabeth's eyes grew wide, and her breathing increased, yet she remained quite. Faith continued.  
  
"His father was not the only one to have met such an unfortunate end. His mother and brothers and sisters were also killed, much in the same fashion. Of course no proof was ever to be found that Angelus had anything to do with their deaths. He was always out of the country, or had some explanation of why he was not around, but it is quite odd, don't you think?" Elizabeth now had her eyes closed, and a small tear ran down her cheek.  
  
"Go on." Said Elizabeth in a low voice.  
  
"Since his father was dead, and there was no one left to share any inheritance with, he became the sole heir. Buffy, he has an immense fortune to do with what he pleases. He bought himself a title, and he means to do more. This man is evil. There is no telling what he plans to do with this fortune he is amassing, but whatever it is, it surely cannot be good. Wesley decided he wanted to follow him back to England. Once here we found out he had purchased my old home. I did not know my parents had left England. We were able to find out about you because of the passages within the walls grandfather had shown us as children."  
  
"But how did you get into your home. It was his now. I had to invite you into my home." Elizabeth was puzzled.  
  
"We had been traveling for days. We waited for Midnight and went to the kitchen entrance. Wesley had me in his arms and told the servant I was hurt. She invited us inside." Faith got up and turned her back to Elizabeth. "Wesley, put me down and when her back was turned he killed her." Her head was bowed down, she was afraid to look back at Elizabeth. She felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Did you drink her blood?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly  
  
"Yes. I was starving. I craved it. There was a need in me. This is what I am now Buffy, who I am." Faith turned and looked into her cousins eyes. She could see tears, but also compassion.  
  
"Tell me the rest." Said Buffy softly.  
  
"Wesley took the woman out and disposed of her body. I then got us into the passages. We were there for a few days. I had to learn them all over again. Angelus had taken the Master Suite, luckily most of his plans were made from there. One night we heard him talking about Earl Summers and his daughter. He had been told by one of the maids that he had been invited to party for Elizabeth Summers' 18th birthday. By this time he was fully aware of your fathers fortune, and the vastness of his wealth. After the night of the party he started making his plans. One evening he had asked one of his men if everything was being done. The following day he asked man if it was done. I did not know what "it" was until the following night when he told the man again that he needed the same people who killed the Earl and his wife to do the same with his daughter after you were wed. He plans to marry you and take you to Italy for your honeymoon. You will die there if you do not do something. You must not marry Angelus. You must leave this place." 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 3  
  
It was too much. Angelus had hired assassins to kill her parents. And now he was planning to kill her.  
  
"My God," Elizabeth dropped her head into her hands "This man has held me in his arms. Has kissed me and confessed his undying love to me. He is a monster, a monster." She began crying uncontrollably. She cried for her parents. She cried for Faith, and she cried for herself.  
  
"You have to leave here tonight Buffy. You can't go through with this marriage. He wants your father's estate, his lands, his home, and his money. Buffy it was all part of his plan. I doubt he ever really loved you." Faith brushed the hair from Elizabeth's tear stained face.  
  
"My mother and father, Faith.' She looked at Faith, 'he killed them. I won't let him get away with this I can't. He won't have this, none of this. I'll see him in hell first!" She leaped up and ran out of the bedroom.  
  
"Buffy no!" Faith ran after her, and quickly caught up. She grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to face her.  
  
"Where do you think your are going? You cannot fight him. He is too powerful." Faith tried to shake her out of her anger.  
  
"What am I supposed to do? Let him go on with this sick plan? Then what? He kills me, gets my fathers fortune and becomes even more powerful, so that he can do what, kill more people?" She pulled away  
  
"He will get his Buffy, but not like this. This has to be thought out. He can only be beaten by his own game. For now all I know is you cannot marry him. Leave this place tonight."  
  
The little bit of world she had left had crumbled to pieces and she knew she had made to make a choice. Marriage was out of the question, Faith was right about that. She would never give him the satisfaction of becoming her husband. That was the point after all. To marry her have her killed and steal her fathers fortune. She also knew that he had killed her parents, and for that alone she would make him die a painful death. But she had no power and she was afraid. She wanted to die.  
  
"I want to die" She said  
  
"What?" Faith's eyes narrowed  
  
"This life means nothing to me anymore. I loved my parents so much, and they are dead at the hands of the man I was going to spend my life with. I thought it was him Faith. The man I always thought would come and sweep me off of my feet. I had dreams of him. A man who would come for me and take me out of the darkness, out of the loneliness. I stopped having the dreams long ago, after I met Angelus. I foolishly thought it was him in my dreams. But know what will I dream? My parents lying dead and bloodied at the hands of an assassin hired by my fiancé. No. This will end for me. I want to be strong, I want to have power and make him beg for his life, as my parents begged for theirs. Make me like you Faith." Faith walked to her and took her by the hand  
  
"There are consequences in being like me. I am a killer Buffy. I have to kill to survive. I hunt like an animal. I have to live with that. My soul is gone. I can't do this to you. I didn't come here for this." She started to walk towards the doors that led to the gardens.  
  
"So what? You come back here, after letting every one think your dead for months and throw this at me and now your leaving?! No! You have to do this for me Faith. I want him dead! And the only way I can make that happen is for me to be strong, to be unafraid. To be like you." There was fire in Elizabeth's eyes. Faith cursed under her breath, and looked away from Elizabeth. She knew her cousin well, and she knew that if she didn't do this Elizabeth would do something that would get her killed.  
  
"All right. But I won't do it. I'll ask Wesley to. But Buffy, I, we can't help you fight Angelus, not now. Wesley and I have to go back to Ireland." Faith and Wesley had to continue their unfinished business in Ireland before they could help. She was afraid to leave her cousin alone, but Wesley needed to get back. Elizabeth nodded. Faith put her hand on Elizabeth's cheek and smiled.  
  
"But we will come back." They walked out into the night together. They reached the edge of the gardens that lead into the estate now owned by Angelus. They sat on the ground and waited for all of the lights to out form the windows.  
  
"Faith, I think I may have thought of something to keep Angelus from getting his hands on the estate." She had been thinking of a plan since they left her home. "Do you remember Xander Harris?" She asked  
  
"You know I do" Faith nodded and smiled wickedly  
  
"Well he is a solicitor. After father died he came to me and told me about fathers will. The estate belongs to me, as was fathers wish. I will need to confide in Xander. I cannot do this alone, and I will need assistance in the matter of my estate. If I disappear Angelus will no doubt try to take over the running of all of the estate matters. The only way to keep him from doing that is to leave it in someone else's hands. I can give Willow power of attorney over my properties in my absence. I will have a messenger give Angelus a note telling him that I need more time because of my grief over my parents death, and that I need to be away for a while. I can tell him I will be in Italy." She smiled "It will humiliate him. There are people coming in form all over Europe and America. The note will be delivered to him as he is waiting for me to make my walk down the aisle. I wish I could be there to see his face when he reads that note."  
  
"But, Buffy, what if he tries to hurt Willow?" asked Faith.  
  
"Sir Giles will not let any harm come to her." Buffy said  
  
"How can you be sure?" added Faith.  
  
"Angelus is afraid of Willow. He has never said it in words, but he fears her because of the magic. And do not forget, it is Giles who is teaching Willow the fine are of magicks." Elizabeth rested her head against the tree she had been leaning against. She continued telling Faith her plan.  
  
"I know Xander can have all of the papers drawn and notarized before the afternoon. I can then go back and start to prepare for my lovely wedding." Faith looked at her with surprise.  
  
"I need to go on with the charade until I can leave. No one in the village or the manor can suspect anything. Angelus will not expect to see me tomorrow until the wedding, so I will have time to make all of my arrangements. I will speak to the messenger while I am in the village. Oh Faith, Angelus will be furious. He will naturally think I have left the country, but I will be here. I am sure I will be all right to stay with Giles. Angelus does not know Giles formally and he does not know he was my tutor."  
  
She had planned it out perfectly. She knew that it would be a difficult thing to make her trusted friends understand. Then upon thinking more she started to wonder if they might even be afraid of her when they knew what she was to become. She would no doubt need the help of Giles and Xander to continue with her plan as well as Willow. She had known these people since she was a child, and knew she could put her trust in them, well she had hoped. In the end, it would be to all of their benefits for her plan to work. God knows what would happen to them, to this place, to this country if Angelus kept gaining power. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Buffy, I don't understand why you want to be a vampire. Your plan can easily be carried out without giving you life to this darkness we must walk in. If you are careful enough and I think you can be now that you know what kind of a man Angelus is you can do this without resorting to." Elizabeth interrupted her before she could finish.  
  
"Faith, Angelus is strong, he is powerful! And I..I am afraid. I do not want to be afraid. I want to be strong, I want to hate him, I want to kill him with my bare hands for what he has done to me and the people I love. Living means nothing to me. He is a man, he lives, I do not want to breath the same air he does." Her voice was firm this time. She felt the tears in her eyes and turned away from Faith.  
  
"Someday you will regret this Buffy. Someday you will want a normal life. Buffy you will see your friends grow old and die. What happens when you fall in love Buffy?" Faith walked to her and put her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I will never love Faith. I will never have a normal life." She turned her head a bit, but could not let Faith see the tears falling. "How can I after what Angelus has done to me? I can never trust another man with my feelings ever again." She looked down to the ground, wishing she were buried beneath the soil instead of her parents.  
  
The night was growing cold. There was a sudden wind, and at once Faith turned towards it. She felt him. She picked up his scent. He was near.  
  
"What is it?" asked Elizabeth  
  
"My Wesley is near." She smiled and turned to her cousin.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I can feel him. My mate is near and I can feel him all around me." There was a rustling of leaves behind Elizabeth and in the blink of an eye, she was grabbed by the shoulder by a strong hand and turned around. Only to look into the eyes of Faiths mate, Wesley. Her eyes were as wide as the plates set on the tables in her gloriously decorated manor. He was truly handsome, just as Faith had said. How roughish he looked in his dark blue coat and loose hair. He was strong, although much of the strength he possessed was due to his vampire nature, she could feel that his grip could have easily cracked something had he not been careful. He smiled at her and then looked over her shoulder and then let her go. He walked to Faith and they embraced each other with a fiery passion. He kissed her as though he had not seen her in months. His hands were entwined in her dark brown tresses. Faith in turn threw her arms around him as though she were falling from a great height, and would never let him go. Elizabeth could feel herself blush. She turned and looked away from them, not wanting to invade on their moment.  
  
Wesley broke the kiss and looked into Faiths eyes.  
  
"How I have missed you my love." He caressed her cheek. Faith smiled brushed the hair from his face.  
  
"I have missed you as well. Wesley," she looked at Elizabeth, "this is my cousin Buffy." He turned and looked at Elizabeth and smiled.  
  
"Faith was right, you are very beautiful." He briefly let go of Faith and walked over to Elizabeth. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. She smiled. She could see why Faith had fallen in love with this man. How strong he was and how kind and gentle he seemed.  
  
"I am sorry for all that you have been through. And how truly sorry I am that you and your family have become a pawn in Angelus' game." He let go of her hand and walked back to Faith. They stood together and spoke in hushed tones. After a moment he looked at Elizabeth with sad eyes and then dropped his head to the ground. Faith took his head in her hands and whispered something in his ear. Elizabeth could not hear the words but she knew that Faith had been telling Wesley about her plan. After a few minutes she heard him say something in a low voice.  
  
"All right. For you my love, for you." He kissed Faith and walked to Elizabeth. "Are you sure this is what you want? You have thought this through?" He lightly put his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Yes. This is what I want." He nodded and smiled. Faith came and took his hand.  
  
"Come to my home, you can both stay there tonight. There is a small room inside the walls of my quarters and no one will know you are there. By the time the sun sets tomorrow I will have spoken to Sir Giles and we can go to his home. Then it will begin. My journey will begin, and the doom of Angelus will be underway."  
  
Elizabeth showed Faith and Wesley the small hidden room within her bedroom. Her grandfather had also built the manor as well as Faith's old home, which now belonged to Angelus. Their grandfather loved mysteries, and he had both homes built with secret rooms, and passages known only to his granddaughters. Faith and Wesley would be safe in the room during the day, until Elizabeth came home.  
  
As Elizabeth pushed back the bookcase that hid the room, her mind was racing with a million thoughts. Could she go through with this? Had she thought things out? 'Yes I must' she thought. She locked the door of her room and closed the curtain. She laid out the dress she would wear tomorrow, then undressed and got into bed. She was exhausted. It felt as if she haden't slept in days. She was soon asleep.  
  
The dreams had stopped when Angelus came into her life. It was because they had stopped that she thought perhaps there was meaning. Perhaps he was finally here in her life. But no, it was not Angelus, and now the dreams were back. She saw herself walking down the aisle of an empty chapel. There was darkness all around except for the alter. Angelus was there and he was laughing at her. She walked closer to him. He moved away from the alter and pointed to it all the while laughing at her. Then he was gone. There was darkness then she saw a man riding a horse. He a long black coat, with a mantle that was bellowing behind him. His hat prevented her from seeing his face. He was holding something, or someone against him. He rode to a cottage inside a forest. Very carefully he got down from the horse and opened the door, never letting go of who he was holding. Now she was no longer watching, but feeling. She felt him against her. She felt his warmth penetrating her body. She smelled his musky scent. How? Never before have her dreams been so vivid. Elizabeth stirred in her bed. She sensed him, it was a dream yet she sensed him near her.  
  
He was carrying her up a flight of stairs, and she heard a door being kicked open. He placed her onto the bed gently, as though she were a fragile flower. He sat beside her and spoke in an ever so soft deep voice.  
  
"Let's see then, this precious flower." He pulled away the sheet that covered my face. And I saw them. There they are. There are my blue eyes. He has come for me.  
  
And the suddenly she awoke. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Elizabeth's Bedroom  
  
She spent most of the night either trying to sleep or dreaming, but she had no further dreams of the man with the blue eyes. If there had been a question in her mind before about Angelus being that man, it was answered this night. She didn't know why she never realized it before. This man has always had blue eyes. Even in the vastness of her unconsciousness she could see the emotion emanating from them. Angelus' eyes were never that tender. They were dark and cold and rarely showed emotion. She now wondered why she had ever agreed to marry him, let alone to think she could one day love him.  
  
London - Mulberry Square - Second floor room  
  
A man awoke with a sudden start. Another dream of the cottage. Again he saw the woman's face in a haze. This time he touched her. He could feel her skin. She was soft and eerily cold. He spoke to her but could not remember what he said. He threw off his blanket and walked to the window. The moonlight shone on his lean naked body. He felt as if there was someone in the room with him, yet he knew there was no one but himself. He took the locket that was on the table next to him and held it in his hands tightly. He opened it and looked at the picture.  
  
"These soddin' dreams. Can't get any rest." He touched the picture. "What do they mean pet, what the bloody hell do they mean.?  
  
McKenna Manor - Angelus' bedroom  
  
Angelus was looking out the window towards Summers Manor. There was a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in." Angelus was agitated at the interruption at so late an hour. A young man opened the door slowly and walked into the room silently.  
  
"Well, what is it Jonathan?" He asked getting even more agitated.  
  
"Lord Angelus, it has been found." Angelus turned and looked at him. "It is where the witch said it would be. It has been a difficult journey, costing many lives." Angelus smiled.  
  
"When will Amy be here with it?" asked Angelus.  
  
"Before the end of the month, depending on the roads." Jonathan stepped back, not wanting to feel the back of Angelus' hand.  
  
"Excellent." He turned back to the window. "Leave me. I have many things to think about." Jonathan walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. He felt a sickness in his stomach. He whispered to himself, "This is not going to end well."  
  
The Wedding Day  
  
Morning finally came. Despite the dreams and hardly being able to sleep, she felt almost revived. She was anxious, which was no surprise. The sun was not up but the darkness was beginning to fade. The sky was slowly turning blue, his blue. She closed her eyes and searched her mind for him once again. She could almost feel him beside her. She opened her eyes and laughed at herself for thinking it was anything more than a dream.  
  
"Just dreams Buffy. They don't mean anything. Soddin dreams." She stopped, shocked at her own words. "Where did that come from?" She laughed at herself again. 'Nerves.' She thought, just nerves.  
  
As soon as she saw the sun peeking out over the horizon, she was dressed and already walking out to the carriage house. She had asked Riley to be ready to take her to run some final errands early in the morning. Riley had been her carriage driver for only a few months. He had come to her after her parents and their driver had been killed. She had never truly trusted him, and more so now after what she knew about Angelus. She felt sure Angelus secretly sent him. For that reason she asked him to drop her off in front of the dress shop. She told him she would be a few hours due to her final fitting and instructed him to go home and pick her up at 3:00pm. She did have a final fitting, but that would really only take less than a half hour. That would leave her the whole morning and part of the afternoon to see Xander and then go speak with Sir Giles and Willow. The fitting was done and she asked the seamstress to hold her dress until the afternoon when she would pick it up.  
  
She walked out of the shop and looked about to make sure Riley had indeed gone back to the manor, which he did. Up until now Elizabeth had never given Angelus reason to not trust her, so there was no need for him to have her spied on. That would come after they were married, but since he had planned on killing her anyway there would be no need for spying then either. But in the off chance he did have Riley spying on her she had one thing in her favor. Riley was as dumb as a basket of hair. He was truly the daftest man she had ever met. Something she was thankful of on this day.  
  
She walked to Xander's office. He began his day early, which was another thing she was thankful for. She knocked on the door and within a few moments he opened it.  
  
"Buffy?" He grabbed her forearm and pulled her inside and gave her a hug. "What are you doing here today? Why aren't you getting ready to become Mrs. Angelus McKenna?" Xander lead her into this office. She sat on the chair across form his desk. This is not going to be easy she thought.  
  
"Is there something you need Buffy?" he said looking at her with worry on his face. She looked as if she was a million miles away. She blinked a few times and looked at him as though for the first time, and began to speak.  
  
"Xander, I need to ask you to do some things for me. Much of what I am about to tell you will be hard to believe. I am going to ask you to take much of what I will be telling you on faith." She paused for a moment to gauge his reaction before continuing. He said nothing for a moment, and then spoke very slowly.  
  
"All right." He said as he narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong he thought. Elizabeth told Xander the story of Angelus. She told him of how it was suspected that he had killed his entire family in order to obtain his fathers wealth. She told him the he was behind the death of her parents and how he was planning killing her during their honeymoon. And of course she told him that she was planning on leaving him waiting for her at the alter that day. At that Xander smiled. She spoke no further and let him think on her words. After a rather long silence he finally spoke.  
  
"Buffy. This is a bit hard to swallow." He shook his head and stood up and ran his hand through his hair, "Are you sure about all of this? I just, I mean, Angelus is a powerful man. I realize he has not gotten this far by being charitable to nuns or by saving stray puppies from being run over by carriages in the streets, but murder? Who told you all of this? When did you find this out? Is this person trustworthy?" She knew he would ask her all of these questions. It was understandable; it was a hard thing to take in. Her answer to him would be the test of how true a friend he was to her.  
  
"Yes Xander, the source of my information is trustworthy." She stood and took a step towards him, "I was told all of this last night." She said  
  
"By who Buffy?" he took a step towards her.  
  
"By Faith." She said it calmly and without hesitation. His face went pale, and his eyes looked as though they would jump out of their sockets. He felt the blood rush down to his feet, and he fell back onto his chair. He looked up at her.  
  
"Faith? Buffy, Faith is dead" His voice shook.  
  
"Yes, well, that brings me to the rest of my story. Faith came to me last night just after dusk." She looked into his eyes. "Faith is a vampire Xander." He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. His breath was coming out in gasps. He was going to faint if she did not do something. She quickly took a glass and poured him some water from a pitcher he kept at the corner of his desk. She put it in his trembling hands and guided it to his lips. He drank half of it and then waved her hand away. She stood back and waited for him to calm down. He put the glass down and closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke again.  
  
"Buffy. You are one of my best and dearest friends. And I love you. But, when exactly did you let go of the reigns of your sanity? Faith is dead. We saw them put her into the ground. There are no such things as vampires." His eyes looked at her as though pleading with her to tell him this was all a bad joke. But she never did. She took a cautious step towards him and knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in hers.  
  
"Xander, look into my eyes. Everything I have told you is the truth. I have never lied to you about anything in my life. Please tell me you believe me." She had hoped he would. He looked at her for a long time. He searched her eyes for the slightest indication that she was not telling him the truth. Then sighed and gave her a crooked smile.  
  
"Oddly enough, yes Buffy, I do believe you." She let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"Thank you." She said softly and smiled. Now comes the hardest part of all. She spoke quickly; she did not want to forget anything. "I want you to draw up papers giving Willow power of attorney over my entire estate. As of today I will officially be missing. I need for Angelus to think I have gone out of the country. He will no doubt try to take over running the estate himself in my absence, but if Willow is left in charge of everything, property and monetary wise it will keep him from trying to take anything away from me."  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked as she finally stood.  
  
"I was going to ask you to accompany me to see Giles. I am hoping he will let me stay with him. Most of all I am hoping he will assist me in my revenge." There was a fire behind her eyes he had never seen before.  
  
"Giles loved your mother Buffy. When he found out she was killed he was devastated. But, what kind of revenge are you planning?" He stood and took her by the shoulders. "What are you playing at Buffy?" He was scared now. There was hate inside of her.  
  
"I have asked Faith to help me. I have thought about this and I cannot be talked out of it. For me to carry out my plan, and make Angelus suffer the way he deserves to suffer I must do one thing. Before this day ends I will be as Faith, I will become a vampire. I must become strong. I must know no fear. I must become a thing to be feared and I must become the instrument of his destruction. I am going to kill him. I am going to kill Angelus Xander." And there it was. He not only saw the rage in her eyes, he heard it in her words and felt it beneath his hands as she spoke, her body shook with rage, it was inside of her, feeding her, keeping her alive. He was afraid for her, afraid for her.  
  
He kept looking into her eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of green when she came in, and now they were as dark as night. He thought of the story she had told him, of how Angelus had killed his own family killed. Of how he had murdered her father and her mother, a woman he had grown to think of as the mother he never truly had. And he thought of the plot to have one her killed, and he knew what he had to do.  
  
"You're going to need help." 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Xander turned away from Elizabeth and sat down at his desk. He began writing up the papers she had requested. Willow would be the sole proprietor of her estate and as long as she had the power of attorney Angelus could do nothing. By the time he finished it was almost noon. He had sent for his carriage and put the papers in his satchel. Together he and Elizabeth left his office and started towards the home of Sir Giles.  
  
Sir Giles lived just outside the small village. It was in no way a small home, not quite as large as Elizabeth's home, but ample nonetheless. Sir Giles occupied the master bedroom. Willow, whom he had taken under his wing after being orphaned at 5 years old, had a room at the far end of the hall, and there were three additional bedrooms apart from that. The first floor housed the maid's quarters, the kitchen, the dining and living area, and of course a large and very impressive library. The library housed all manner of books, from science, literature and poetry as well as every known book on the occult, but mainly witchcraft and demonology. There was also a section containing a few books and manuscripts on archaeology and religions. And last but not least, within the library, behind a large tapestry lay a well-hidden room used as a laboratory. Behind the main house was the carriage house with stables for the horses, and a small garden where Willow grew the herbs needed for spells.  
  
The driver stopped in front of the door. Xander and Elizabeth stepped out the carriage. Willow had been in her room and saw them coming through the window. She immediately ran down and opened the door for them.  
  
"Buffy, Xander!" She yelled and waved her hand. "What are you two doing here?" She was relieved to see Elizabeth in happier spirits after seeing her so troubled the previous day. Elizabeth gave her a hug, and for a moment she felt safe. In her friends arms she felt like these last few months had never happened. Soon after Giles came outside and shook hands with Xander and hugged Elizabeth.  
  
"What a wonderful surprise." He smiled. "Buffy I should think you would be home preparing for your wedding this evening." He guided everyone inside and led them all to the library. Along the way he asked the maid to bring in some tea.  
  
They all sat down at a large Mahogany table and for a while made small talk until the tea was brought in and placed in front of Giles.  
  
"Thank you Jenny." Giles smiled up at his maid and put his hand on her shoulder. Jenny in turn smiled and excused herself as Giles absent- mindedly watched her leave. Willow smiled and looked at Xander and Elizabeth. They gave each other a knowing look. Once Jenny left Giles cleared his throat and spoke.  
  
"Buffy, as happy as I am to see you here I have a feeling that your visit today is for something more than just small talk and pleasantries. Is there something wrong?" He was concerned. Today was her wedding day; she should be home nervously preparing to become a bride as any woman would; yet she was here and at the moment looking a bit nervous. Elizabeth looked at Xander. He placed his hand on hers and gave her a gentle squeeze.  
  
"Go ahead Buffy." He said. She took a deep breath and preceded to tell the same story she had told Xander that morning. She went into more detail regarding Faith and Wesley, as well as telling them she was going to need a place to hide in order to make Angelus believe she was out of the country. During her telling of the story she never looked at Giles or Willow. Her eyes never left the edge of the table. When she was done, she looked up at them both and held her breath.  
  
Giles had taken off his glasses and was rubbing his eyes so hard she was sure he would blind himself. Willow had tears falling down her face. Giles put his glasses back on and stood up. He turned and placed his hands in his coat pockets. He looked down and then up. He gave a heavy sigh and finally turned to look at her.  
  
"Buffy." His voice was low. "Are you absolutely positive this is what you want to do and become?" She looked up at him and nodded. "You know this is a very dangerous undertaking, and that we will all most likely be in great danger if we decide to assist you."  
  
"I realize that Giles. I know that I am asking so much of you all. I will understand if you decide not to help me." She stood up and took a step towards him. "But I am afraid for us all. I have yet to find out what Angelus up to. I don't know what all of this wealth and power he is amassing is for. But what ever it is, no good will come of it. All of the pain he has been the cause of so far is just the beginning." She looked at him with pleading eyes. She needed their help. There was only so much she could do on her own. If they decided not to stand by her side, she knew that eventually she would rid the world of Angelus. But how long would it take, and at what cost to the world?  
  
"Very well then." He smiled and put his hands on her shoulders pulling her into a hug. "If what you say about Angelus is true, then he must be stopped before he has accomplished his task, what ever it may be."  
  
"It is true Giles. All of it is true." She pulled back and looked at Willow, who had been very quite.  
  
"Willow?" she stepped around Giles and walked towards Willow.  
  
Willow looked up at her and stood. She looked at Xander and Giles, and then Buffy. She smiled.  
  
"We had better get started." She said.  
  
And so it began.  
  
It was settled that Elizabeth would stay with Giles. Willow signed the papers Xander had written for the power of attorney and the transfer was legally made. Giles and Jenny served as witnesses, and they were notarized immediately. Giles instructed Jenny to make up two of the guest rooms and to make sure that the windows were covered so that no light would be able to come in.  
  
"Buffy, we need to leave." Xander said looking at his watch. "Your driver will be coming back to town for you in an hour." She looked at him and nodded. They all looked at each other and in unison, to one long deep breath. They walked out side together, but no further words were exchanged. Elizabeth went into the carriage first, followed by Xander. She had been so afraid of the reaction of her friends, but it was all for nothing. They had agreed to support her and had decided to put themselves in harms way in order to bring Angelus to his knees. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
CHAPTER 7  
  
Xander's driver had them back in front of the dress shop just before Riley was due to arrive. Elizabeth entered the shop and asked for a paper and a quill, so that she may write a note. The shopkeeper gave her the items she requested and placed her dress on a hook and wished her well on her wedding day. When she was finally left alone, she began to write her letter to Angelus:  
  
My dearest Angelus:  
  
By now you are most likely waiting for my arrival at the chapel. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life, yet it is something I feel I must do.  
  
I cannot express to you sufficiently through words how truly sorry I am, but I must regretfully tell you that I will not be your wife on this day. While I know this is supposed to be the happiest day of our lives, this is also the saddest day of mine.  
  
It has been but only one month since the death of my parents, and I still feel their loss terribly. You have been so kind and understanding with me and you deserve more than just this letter.  
  
I am a coward my love, forgive me for that. But as I stand here in my wedding gown, my heart feels like it will burst. Please do not think that I do this because I do not care for you. I realize that you must despise me at this moment, but I ask that you be patient with me. I need to be alone. I need time to grieve.  
  
I will be sailing this very evening for France. Perhaps spending some time there where my parents spent their last days alive will give me the closure I need to overcome the grief inside my heart.  
  
I am sorry, please forgive me.  
  
Love Elizabeth  
  
She folded the letter and called to the shopkeeper.  
  
"I am truly sorry to be such a bother, but, would it be possible for you to ask your delivery boy to deliver a note for me this evening?"  
  
"Why yes, no bother at all. I'll ask him to come out and speak with you." The woman turned and walked through the curtains that separated the front parlor and the sewing and fitting rooms.  
  
Elizabeth turned and looked out of the storefront windows. Off in the distance she could see Riley approaching.  
  
"Excuse me, Miss?" said a voice behind her. The young man stood behind her. She turned and approached him nervously. This was it, once she gave the letter to him, and walked out of the shop, her plan would be in motion. She looked at the letter for a moment and then started handing it to the young man.  
  
"I need this letter to be delivered this evening to the chapel of St. Vincent on the grounds of the McKenna estate. Do you know where that is?" she asked. Although he was a bit curious he nodded. "I want you to give this to one of the ushers with instructions to have him hand it to the groom before the start of the wedding." The young man now spoke, his confusion and curiosity getting the best of him.  
  
"Would it not be better to give him this after the wedding?" He was thoroughly confused. She looked shyly at him.  
  
"It is a personal letter to my future husband. And I thought it would be a nice surprise for him to read this before our, um," she looked down and started to wring her hands "wedding night." The young man blushed. His mind rushing all about with wicked thoughts. He asked her what time she wanted the letter delivered and then asked no further questions as took the letter and ran into the back rooms. As the he hastily closed the curtains behind him, Riley opened the door.  
  
"I hope you were not waiting long Miss." He said.  
  
"No, not long. Take my gown and please put it in the carriage. I will be out in a moment." He picked up the gown and did as she instructed. She closed her eyes and then opened them. *Here we go. * She thought and walked out onto the street. As she turned to her left, Xander was standing at the corner looking at her. He tipped his head to her and smiled. She did the same and stepped into the carriage. Although Riley had asked if she was waiting long, he was never late. That meant it was 3:00pm. They would arrive home in less than 30 minutes.  
  
She did not bother to wait for Riley to open the door for her. She practically jumped out before he even came to a complete stop. She ran to her room and told her maidservants to let her rest for the next 3 hours. She made sure to lock the door of her room. They would not be interrupted. The day had turned from a bright sunny to cloudy during the course of the afternoon. Also, the sun would be down in a couple of hours, thus making it easy for them to leave. She walked to the bookcase next to her bed and pulled it out a few feet and lightly knocked on the door that was behind it. She heard hushed voices and after a while the door opened.  
  
"Good morning." Said Faith. Her hair was a disheveled mess and she looked as thought she had just woken up. Elizabeth felt a slight blush creep onto her cheeks.  
  
"Good afternoon." Said Elizabeth smiling. She informed Faith that it was safe for her and Wesley to come out, then turned away letting Faith close the door and gather her things along with Wesley.  
  
Faith turned to Wesley who was lying down on the bed. He had slipped his pants on while she was at the door. She walked over to the bed and sat beside him. She ran her hands form his hard stomach up to his cheek and kissed him deeply. He ran his hand up her back and pulled her closer to him. They separated and he looked up at her.  
  
"It is time." She smiled at him and stroked his face.  
  
"You know her better than I do Faith. Is she strong enough for this?" He traced her lips with his fingers.  
  
"Buffy is small but she is stronger than she looks."  
  
"I mean emotionally. She has lost so much these past few months. And now seeing you come back as a vampire and telling her of Angelus." He sat up and started to put his shirt on.  
  
"She can handle it Wesley. She has too." She stood and finished dressing, then picked up his coat from the edge of the bed and helped him put it on. One more kiss and they walked out of the small room and out to Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth had been gathering some clothes into a small case. She turned as they walked in behind her. Faith replaced the bookcase to its original spot. No one would ever know of it.  
  
Wesley walked to Elizabeth.  
  
"The door is locked?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. I instructed the staff to let me rest for a few hours." She was shaking. He could smell the fear coming from her skin. He stepped closer to her. He placed one arm around her back to support her, and the other swept her blond hair from her shoulder. He leaned into her and whispered into her ear.  
  
"Are you ready?" he closed his eyes and felt his face change and his fangs elongate. She could barely breath. Still shaking, she wrapped her arms around him and spoke.  
  
"Y..yes." He did not give her time to utter another word. His fangs bit down into her neck and she immediately stiffened. Her eyes were shut tightly, and she was gasping for air. *This was a mistake* she thought. She felt his teeth digging down further into her skin, and then suddenly she saw images flashing before her:  
  
Angelus laughing, her father lying dead on the ground, Angelus laughing, her mother crying out for help, Angelus laughing, a man in black riding a horse, Angelus laughing, a locket, Angelus dead.  
  
And then, nothing. She was losing herself, letting herself go. She felt a tingle start at the base of her stomach and end down into her womb. She felt a heat building inside of her that she had only felt when she dreamed of the man with blue eyes. She was floating into another world. She held him tighter now, bringing his head closer to her. *God forgive me*, she thought, *for this was no mistake*. He stopped, lifted his head and turned to look at her face. Her vision was hazy, yet she saw his yellow eyes look deeply into hers.  
  
"Are you positive this is what you want?" He wanted to be sure, he wanted her to be sure. There was no turning back now. She took one last breath and closed her eyes.  
  
"This. Is. My. Destiny." She whispered. Wesley plunged into her again and with one last pull she was gone. Her body was limp as he picked her up and placed her on the bed. Faith quickly moved onto the bed and held her head up. Wesley immediately bit down onto his wrist and placed the open wound against her mouth. The blood trickled down into her throat.  
  
"Drink Buffy." She whispered into Elizabeth's ear. There was no reaction. Faith looked at Wesley with worry on her face.  
  
"Don't worry, my love, she is coming." His words soothed her. She had not remembered this part of the initiation, but it was a process she obviously went through. She heard a small moan coming from Elizabeth. It was barely audible, but her enhanced hearing allowed her too hear it well. Elizabeth's hands were moving slowly to Wesley's wrist. She began suckling him harder and her grip on him tightened a little more. He winced, but held himself to her until he felt she had enough. After a few more moments he pulled his wrist off backed away. Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes. Wesley smiled and looked at Faith.  
  
"She is here." 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 8  
  
5:00pm - London - Mulberry Square  
  
He walked down the street quickly. He was wearing his long black leather coat with a heavy mantle and a hat with the brim pulled down to hide his face. He went into the pub as he had done every night since his arrival into the city, and sat in the corner booth.  
  
A blonde bar maid sauntered over to him smiling.  
  
"And what will you be having tonight?" she made sure to put emphasis on the word 'having' as she leaned over to reveal a less than modest proportion of her breasts. He spoke without looking at her  
  
"Hello Harmony." He sighed. "Three ales." He said coldly. She frowned.  
  
"Expecting company?" she asked  
  
"No, I just don't want you botherin' me for the rest of the night." He looked at her as he spoke his last words. She scowled at him for a moment before turning to walk back to the bar. He took his hat off. His hair was just cut mid way between his shoulders and past his ears and the palest shade of blonde, and when he spent too much time in the sun it became almost white. And his eyes, well, the heavens envied the color of his eyes. So blue and clear. His skin was perfectly smooth. His cheekbones were sharp and well defined, and his nose was a perfect aquiline shape. God was most certainly in a good working mood when he made this man. Harmony came back and set down his ales, looked at him for a moment, narrowed her eyes at him and quickly walked away.  
  
He sat in silence holding the locket and traced the heavily encrusted cover with his fingertips. The diamonds and rubies were in a swirling pattern all around the front. He opened the cover to reveal the face of his salvation. He stared at the picture for a long time. So innocent he thought. If she only knew the affect she had on his life. He was so caught up in her that he hadn't noticed the small young man approaching him.  
  
"Thinking about her again?" asked the young man as he sat down.  
  
"Not up for company tonight mate." He said as he put the locket away and reached for his drink.  
  
"Whether you are or not you've got it. Ethan has been making inquires about us here." Said the young man.  
  
"Bloody hell, I thought we lost him. How the fuck did he find us?"  
  
"You are not exactly hard to find. I heard he's in Italy though." He helped himself to one of the ales in front of him and took a sip. "Probably some job." The other man closed his eyes for a moment. "Spike, we need to go out of here."  
  
"Right, but we, are not going anywhere. You're staying this time. He's looking for me not you." He opened his eyes and glared at the younger man across from him.  
  
"You need me."  
  
"What for? To bloody well annoy me every chance you get? Andrew we are in a dangerous business now. We come across meaner blokes than Ethan these days and you almost got killed last time. I won't have your death on my conscience as well as..." His voice trailed off, he couldn't finish what he was about to say. His head swirled with the memories of who, and what he had once been.  
  
"We do this for the same reasons. I have just as much to answer for. I was part of that world for a long time too Spike. Between the sorcery and what I did while I was with Ethan's gang, I..." his voice started to break, "I can barely live with myself." There were tears in his eyes.  
  
"I know," Spike whispered, and looked down into his dark liquid swirling in his glass hoping he could lose those horrible memories in it, "I know too well." He sighed, "All right then. Since the wanker has somehow managed to find us again, we go see the Spaniard." He took another sip of his ale. Now that he knew Ethan Raynes was closing in on them once again, he wanted to be as far away from London as possible. After a moment Andrew noticed him looking tired and uneasy.  
  
"Are you all right? You don't look well." Asked Andrew.  
  
"Not feelin' well." he shook his head. "I got this strange feelin' earlier, like..." he sat back against the booth's cushion and put his hands to his face and then ran them up through his hair. "Like my soul.. my life.. was being ripped out of my body. I couldn't breath. Damn near fell down the bleedin' stairs." He shook his head and laughed at himself, and looked at Andrew who was looking back at him with confusion  
  
"I should go talk to Federico myself then." Offered Andrew. They had both been under extreme pressure. Spike had taken something from Ethan after their last job and now Ethan wanted it back. Ethan was ruthless. He and his thugs Olaf and the man he only referred to as Travers would hunt them to the ends of the earth. And for what, something as insignificant as a locket thought Andrew. He kept staring at Spike and decided that his friend looked as if he were three days shy of death. Spike smiled and assured him he would be fine. He just needed to rest. They decided to order a food and sat in silence until they finished their meals. When they were done they paid and left the pub. They turned towards the west and headed for the home of Federico Medina.  
  
Spike and Andrew had built quite a reputation for themselves as sort of angels of mercy. Spike was an expert in weaponry, as well as hand-to-hand combats. He was also quite stealthy, which came in handy for the business they were in. Andrew handled to contacts, and the planning. He was also quite the good sorcerer, and when necessary could conjure up any and all matter of distractions.  
  
After a brief walk they reached the home of Federico Medina. Medina had most of his family in Spain. His eldest son's little girl had been kidnapped and Medina's family would do anything to find the girl and bring her home. There had been every indication that the child was still alive, and they were prepared to pay handsomely for her rescue. But however she was found, Medina wanted his grandchild back.  
  
The ship would take them to the port city of La Coruna and they would travel by horse to Galicia where the girl was last seen. The thought of leaving England for a while appealed to Spike. It would also be a good way to get Ethan off of their trail. The plans were made. Medina gave them enough money to procure horses, food, lodging and any other necessities they needed once landing in Spain. When the job was done they would be paid and return to England. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 9  
  
5:30 pm - Summers Manor  
  
Elizabeth was weak. She needed to feed in order to fully regain consciousness. The house was quiet. Most of the servants were either in the kitchen or the dining hall. Wesley slowly came out of Elizabeth's room and walked into her parent's old bedroom. There behind the Armoire just as Faith had told him, he found another secret door. The passage led outside. He walked back to Elizabeth's room.  
  
"Faith, get her things." He said as he walked to the bed and started to gather Elizabeth in his arms.  
  
"Wesley, how will we get to the stables? That passage leads out to an opening next to the kitchen entrance. One of the servants will see us." He smiled at her as he walked to the door.  
  
"The servants my darling, are busy preparing for tonight's feast." He crinkled his nose; "What ever they are making smells God awful. I doubt there will be anyone outside. Either way we need to leave. Her maidservants will be up soon to help her dress." He was right. They could not delay their departure for another moment. Faith picked up the bag Elizabeth had packed and followed him out of the room.  
  
They made their way to the other bedroom and through the tunnel with little problem. Their eyesight was far beyond that of mortals and needed no light to make their way through the darkness. When they reached the end, Faith slowly pushed the stone door aside and looked outside. Just as Wesley had predicted, there was no one about. She motioned for him to come out and they rushed to the stables. Faith held onto Elizabeth as Wesley mounted his horse, and then took her into his arms again. They rode for the next hour. They would have reached Giles' home sooner, but it had been so long since she had taken the path to his home through the woods that they had gotten lost. Once she got her bearings back they arrived within minutes.  
  
"Are you sure we will be safe here?" Asked Wesley  
  
"Yes, Buffy and I have known Giles since we were little girls. He is with us." They dismounted and walked to the front door then knocked. She heard footsteps on the other side. She felt an apprehensive pause, and a bit of fear make its way through the door. Slowly the door opened and there Giles stood. He was nervous for a moment. She smiled at him to ease his tension.  
  
"Hello Giles." Slowly he realized it was really her and his fear subsided. He smiled and threw himself at her for a tight embrace. He felt her coldness, yet did care. She was back.  
  
"I wanted to believe it was true, but I never in my wildest dreams .. I .. Oh Faith its really you." He took her face in his hands and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He stepped back and they stood in silence. Wesley came out of the darkness holding Elizabeth in his arms. Giles looked at them and tears began to form in his eyes. "Is she.. going to be all right?"  
  
"Yes, but she needs blood. She is weak and has not fully woken." Said Wesley. Giles stood aside and waited for them to enter. He then realized why they were still standing outside.  
  
"Oh dear, please forgive me. Faith, Wesley is it?" Wesley nodded in affirmation, "Please come into my home." Faith walked in, yet Wesley still stood outside. He looked at Giles and then to Elizabeth and then back at Giles again. "I'm sorry, Buffy please come into my house." Regardless of the fact that she was unconscious, the invitation was still needed. A vampire is a vampire, awake or otherwise. Giles was a man of sorcery and magicks of all sorts. Vampires were creatures he knew existed, yet had never in his life encountered. At least not that he was aware of.  
  
"FAITH!" Willow ran out from the library and into Faith's arms. They both cried tears of joy. Willow also felt the coldness of her skin. She had expected it, yet had to adjust to the knowledge that her two closest friends were now vampires. In the end though the most important thing was that they were both alive. Well, somewhat alive. Xander slowly approached Faith and she saw his apprehension.  
  
"Xander. It's all right." She smiled and then held her hand out to him. He touched her and moved close to her and held her in a tight embrace. They had once been lovers, but that was long ago, and had always remained friends. He had missed her terribly and seeing her was like a dream come true. Feeling that the embrace had gone on a bit longer than it should, Wesley gave a low growl, thus making Faith and Xander separate. She turned and smiled at Wesley.  
  
"Xander, Willow this is Wesley. He is my mate." Willow and Xander both smiled, Xander a bit uneasily, and then said hello.  
  
Giles turned to Faith.  
  
"There are two rooms upstairs made up for you. Jenny will show you which rooms. I should be up shortly." Giles called to Jenny. He had informed her of their guest's special needs after Elizabeth and Xander had left that morning. She made her way up the stairs with Faith and Wesley following her. When they were out of sight Xander approached Giles.  
  
"Giles, what does she mean by mate?"  
  
"Well, I believe they are as husband and wife. From what I have studied on the subject, vampires mate, they.. claim each other. Either another vampire or in some instances a human. However I would imagine a vampire and human mating would be quite difficult due to the ritual." He had his hand on his chin and was looking down as though in heavy thought.  
  
"Why difficult? What kind of ritual?" asked Xander.  
  
"Well, I am not quite sure, mind you this is all from what I have read and things I have heard." He paused for a moment, "I believe it consists the two, um, individuals coming together in the act of," he took his glasses off and started to clean them, though they were not dirty. "lovemaking, and then they announce to each other their claim and bite one another until blood is drawn. They are then mated for life. No other vampire or human can claim them or break that bond unless willing to fight to the death for it." He put his glasses on and started to walk up the stairs.  
  
"That is so romantic." Said Willow with a dreamy look on her face. Giles stopped in mid step and both he and Xander looked at her. "Well, uh, except for the blood and fighting to the death part." 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Giles entered the room where they had placed Elizabeth. Faith and Wesley were talking as he came in.  
  
"Giles we need to get her some blood as soon as possible." Said Faith. Wesley stood behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"It must be human." He said. Wesley could see Giles was uncomfortable and took a step towards him.  
  
"I realize this must all be quite a shock to you. And I know our presence here makes you feel uncomfortable. But, I assure you, that you are in no danger from us. Yes, I am a vampire. I hunt and kill and I take the blood of my victims so that I may live. I will not apologize for that. But, I do not seek out the innocents of this world. Contrary to what some may think of me, I am not a monster. We live in a world with many evils. Some evils are not as easily recognized, and those are the deadliest." Giles relaxed with his words. He came to realize that Wesley was a very intelligent man. He did not know how old a vampire he was but he concluded that if he was not a master then he was quite close to it.  
  
After a moment of contemplation, Giles walked out of the room ten returned holding a small knife. He walked to Elizabeth's side of the bed and rolled up his sleeves. He made a small cut just above his wrist and placed it onto her lips. She opened her eyes and creased her brows.  
  
"Its all right Buffy. You need to gather strength." She relaxed and took the blood he offered her. He smiled at her and said, "Just don't get too used to this." Instinctively she knew she would only take enough to enable her to rise and walk on her own. Wesley came up behind Giles and put his hands on his shoulders.  
  
"I think that should be enough Giles. I see some color in her cheeks now." He pulled back and Giles stood up. "Buffy, try to stand." Said Wesley as he offered her his hand and helped her up. She stood and looked at her hands. They were pale and she could feel the lack of warmth on them. Her body felt alive though. She realized she wasn't breathing and started to gasp for air. Faith rushed to her side.  
  
"Its all right. You don't need the air, Buffy." Elizabeth looked at her in shock, and then the sudden realization that her body was dead hit her. Faith noticed the change in her look. "Buffy. It is done. You are here. This is what you wanted, this is what you are. You must be strong now." Wesley walked to Elizabeth.  
  
"Breathing is an instinct. You will most likely never notice that you are not doing it. When you realize you are not you will want to do it. I find myself doing it some times. Many vampires do. I suggest you never let the habit be lost to you. It is an easy thing to forget. If you are to walk among mortals, you must be as them. Instinct Buffy is what you will allow you to survive. Take a moment Buffy. Look around you. What do you see? How do you feel?" Elizabeth stepped away from them both and walked over to the windows and pulled the curtains.  
  
"I feel like.. I am part of everything. I can see every minute detail of this curtain, of those trees. I can hear the voices of Xander and Willow downstairs. I can smell every flower in this house." She ran her fingers through her hair and turned to face Giles. "I can hear your heart beating like its crashing against your chest." She smiled, "And I can smell a woman's perfume on your skin." Giles smiled back and looked down as he blushed. Wesley walked to her.  
  
"Faith and I must leave for Ireland before the week has ended. I need to close out some business there before we settle here in England. Buffy, there is much you need to know before we go." He needed to show her how to hunt and feed. He needed to explain to her the powers she possessed. He also needed to tell her of the things she must be wary of. And above all he needed to introduce her to the demon inside of her.  
  
She needed to learn how to control it, how to use it, bring it forth and how to keep it hidden. The most important thing to learn however was that she could not let the demon take control over her. If she did, then she would be lost to it, perhaps forever. She had to be the master of her demon. Once she had learned that, then there would be no stopping her.  
  
"We must go out for a while. We should be back before sunrise." Wesley waited for Faith and Elizabeth to walk out first and then turned to Giles, "She will be fine." They walked downstairs and were met by Xander and Willow. They nodded to Elizabeth and she smiled. The three vampires walked out of the house and into the woods together.  
  
St. Vincent Chapel  
  
The guests were all seated and waiting for the ceremony to start. Angelus had walked to the alter and waited for his bride. The organ began playing. He took out his pocket watch and noted the time. 7:00pm. He had bee specific in his wishes to begin on time. He liked to control every minute of every situation. This was no different. He looked down the aisle and waited for the doors to open and Elizabeth to walk in. As he waited he noticed on of his men approach him with a note.  
  
"Whatever it is can wait." He glared at the man.  
  
"But my lord, the messenger said it was from Miss Elizabeth." Angelus took the note from the mans quickly and tore it open. His face grew redder as he read each line. He felt as though he would burst a blood vessel.  
  
"God Damn her," he muttered. He would make sure that she paid for this humiliation dearly. He put the note in his pocket and turned to address his guests.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am afraid that there will be no wedding today. My fiancé has met with an unfortunate accident and I must go to her. Please accept my sincerest apologies." He calmly walked out of the side door and immediately started kicking everything in site. The plants, a wooden crate, milk containers and a chicken. Nothing escaped the wrath of his boot. He leaned against the outside wall of the chapel and tried to calm himself. He was planning on killing her anyway, but now he would make sure it was done in the most painful way imaginable. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Three days later  
  
The office of Xander Harris  
  
There was a knocking on his door. Xander got up from his desk and walked to the door.  
  
"Mr. Harris." Angelus smiled and tipped his hat. Xander had expected a visit from Angelus, yet he was surprised it had taken him this long to show up.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. McKenna." Xander couldn't bring himself to call him Lord Angelus. For one thing he doubted his claim of lordship was real, and then of course there was the fact that he despised the man to no end. "Please come in."  
  
Angelus was not bothered by the lack of respect Xander showed him. He merely imagined the day he could finally torture him endlessly with hot pokers. He walked into the office and accepted the chair offered to him. He removed his coat and hat and sat down as Xander also seated himself.  
  
"And to what do I owe this visit?" He tried to smile as best he could without making it look as though he was straining every last muscle in his face to do so.  
  
"Mr. Harris, I am sure you may have heard that my fiancé is traveling in France. She may be spending a bit of time there and I want to make sure she has peace of mind regarding her estate. Basically, I will be taking over the business of running it in her absence." Xander nodded, yet said nothing. "We had a long conversation before she left and it was decided that the Summers Manor would be sold upon our return from our honeymoon. Even though our marriage has been postponed, we still want to have the Manor sold as planned."  
  
Angelus started to grow a bit uncomfortable. Xander had not said a word. All he did was sit there and nod and smile. He figured Xander for an idiot, but why the hell did he just sit there and smile? Angelus thought that due to his title and wealth, he could talk his way into having people give him anything he wanted. He was wrong.  
  
"So, as you can see your services will no longer be needed. Now, if you will just give me the deed to the Manor and any other titles I may need for the rest of the properties, I will be on my way." Now Xander spoke.  
  
"Well, I think it's a wonderful gesture for you to want to make sure Miss Summers can enjoy herself while she is on holiday in France is it? However, I am afraid this matter has already been taken care of." Xander no longer needed to pretend to smile. He saw perspiration on Angelus' forehead as well as a distinctive vein. God he was loving this. "When I spoke to Miss Summers after her parents were killed, said that she wanted to keep me on as the family attorney. She also had me draw up a power of attorney giving Miss Willow Rosenberg full authority to run her estate upon her absence. Do you know Miss Rosenberg Mr. McKenna?" Angelus was by now grinding his teeth, and wiping small beads of sweat from his brow.  
  
"Yes," he struggled to smile and appear calm, "although, not very well."  
  
"I'm quite surprised Miss Summers made no mention of this before she left." Xander leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "Perhaps it just slipped her mind, with all that has been happening in her life as of late." There was an uneasy silence in the room. Xander felt sure Angelus would leap across the desk and try to strangle him. He struggled to remember if he had put his letter opener in his desktop drawer or if he had left it in the front room. His heart almost came out through his throat when Angelus rose from his chair.  
  
"Perhaps I should pay Miss Rosenberg a visit then. Thank you Mr. Harris. Good day." Xander started to get up, and Angelus held up his hand, "Please, I can find my way out."  
  
Panic struck him. He had to get to Giles' house before Angelus did. While he was sure that Elizabeth would be in her room and not walking about this early in the day, he needed to make sure Giles and Willow were not caught by surprise. Angelus came by carriage. This would give Xander the advantage of having only to run to the town stables and retrieve his horse. He could be up and riding in a matter of moments. He guessed he would reach the house at least 10 minutes before Angelus. He would also be taking the woods, which would perhaps cut another few minutes off of the time. This was going to be close, too close.  
  
He rode as fast as he could. He was not an expert rider. He only rode infrequently, and as needed. Most of his clients were in the village, and he had a few on the outskirts. The bit of riding he did in no way required any skill other than knowing how to get on the horse and not fall off.  
  
Giles' Home  
  
Xander reached the house with time to spare. He could see Angelus' carriage in the far distance. He quickly put his horse out of site in the stables behind the house and then went into the house through the kitchen. He ran out to the hall and started calling out.  
  
"GILES! WILLOW! WHERE ARE YOU?" They both came rushing out of the library.  
  
"Xander what's wrong?" asked Willow as she got to him first. He was trying to catch his breath as he talked.  
  
"Angelus.. he's.. coming." he had bent over and held his hands to his knees. After a few seconds he was finally breathing normally. "He came to see me a little while ago. Buffy was right.", he straightened up, "The son of a bitch wants to get his hands on everything. I did just as we planned, I told him you have control of the estate Willow. And he wasn't too happy about it." Giles turned his head towards the door as he heard the horses approach.  
  
"Well we expected this sooner or later. Xander go hide in the library. Willow I want you to try to pick up anything you can. See if you can ascertain what his plans are."  
  
"You, you want me to get into his mind?" She started to worry. Willow had tried this before yet up until now all she could get was unintelligible words.  
  
"Yes, please Willow. You must try. This may be the only opportunity to find out what this man is planning." He walked to the library and made sure the tapestry covering the lab was placed properly. As he walked out to the front hall back to Willow, there was a knock at the door. They looked at each other and Giles motioned to her to go into the parlor. She went in and picked up a book and pretended to read. As soon as she was out of his site Giles then turned and opened the door.  
  
"Sir Giles, good morning." Angelus tipped his hat. "Please excuse my impromptu visit." Giles stepped aside and opened the door further and motioned for Angelus to enter.  
  
"Quite all right, it is a pleasure to have you here." Angelus walked inside and removed his hat and coat. Giles took them and placed them on top of a chair near the door.  
  
"I realize my visit may seem rather odd, since we have never really been properly introduced. I understand that Miss Rosenberg is your ward and I would very much like to speak with her." He said smiling.  
  
Willow sat staring at the book. She concentrated on clearing her mind of any thoughts.  
  
"I believe she is in the parlor. Please come this way." Giles walked toward the parlor with Angelus following closely behind him.  
  
As they approached Willow began to hear words in her head *Longinus - Spear* Angelus came to stand in front of her and as she noticed him she felt a cold draft and heard a whisper in her ear, as though some invisible presence was standing near her, "Death follows this one" said the voice. She looked at him.  
  
"Willow, Lord McKenna," Angelus interrupted Giles.  
  
"Please, Lord Angelus. I am afraid the pain of the violence incurred by my family still haunts me. I prefer not to use my family name." He looked at Willow. "Miss Rosenberg, I am afraid we have never had the opportunity to properly get to know one another." He smiled and took her hand as she offered it to him. She saw another word in his mind *Constantine* .  
  
"Elizabeth was quite busy keeping you all to herself." she heard another whisper "the witch is in route with the relic. He must not possess the relic"  
  
"Please sit." She motioned for him to sit, "Giles would you please excuse us?" Giles excused himself and walked into the library, and made sure he left the doors wide open.  
  
"I paid a visit to Mr. Harris this morning and he informed me that Elizabeth has left you with power of attorney in the matter of the estate in her absence."  
  
"Yes. She did so after the death of her parents. The papers state that I am to run the estate whenever she is out of the country." Willow felt the cold chill return. It felt as if the souls of all of his dead were in the room with them.  
  
"We plan to be married upon her arrival from France." He could never let anyone know he had been stood up at the alter. Luckily all of his guests were from out of England, and he had made sure that they were taken out of the village before anyone could speak a word about what happened to the locals. He needed to put up a front and make the public believe she had left with his blessings. But, Willow knew the truth, and so did the others. She could also feel that he truly believed Elizabeth was in France  
  
"I would like to surprise her by having the manor sold, as we had discussed before she left." He said as Willow stood and walked to a table that had a pitcher of water and glasses.  
  
"Would you like some water?" she poured herself a glass.  
  
"No thank you." He stood and started to take slow steps toward her. "Miss Rosenberg, I would like for you to relinquish your power of attorney to me. I am sure you will agree that I have Elizabeth's best interest at heart, and there is really no need for you to bother yourself with the burden of dealing with such a complicated matter." His words were cold and calculated, and in his mind she heard something all together different than what was coming out of his mouth  
  
She turned to face him now. He was smiling at her. Her mind was still open to his.  
  
I would rather take it from you unwillingly. I want to hear you begging me to stop.   
  
To her great surprise he was no longer afraid of her. Elizabeth had told her once that he feared her interest in magic. What had changed? There was a power that he anticipated. She felt that inside of him. She could no longer hear his thoughts. She looked him in the eyes, and stood her ground. She knew he would do nothing to her there, and she would not give him the pleasure of seeing her discomfort with the situation.  
  
"I am afraid that won't be possible. I was left with the guardianship of the entire estate, and the entire estate is what will be waiting for Elizabeth when she returns." He blinked. She had shown him that she would not cower to him. And for a moment he shook. He did not expect this little nothing of a woman to challenge him.  
  
As sure of himself as he was in her presence, there was still a part of him that feared her. He had his own witch, and he knew the extent of her power. However, he knew nothing of Willow's. From what Amy had told him of Witchcraft and Sorcery, one need not have knowledge of spells or roots or even know the words used in incantations. Simply being born with the gift of power was enough, and he had no idea what kind of power lay in Willow. He would soon find out, and so would Willow. 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Angelus had thought better of continuing his conversation with Willow. He had gotten all he would from her, which was little more than what he came with. However, now he knew that he would have to resort to more drastic measures.  
  
"Miss Rosenberg. I had thought we would do this in a more civilized way." He smiled, "But I must admit, I much prefer uncivilized." He stepped closer and he leaned into her ear and whispered. "I will see you again soon."  
  
'No' she thought, 'I will not let the bastard see fear in my eyes' she smiled and with the most pleasant voice she could muster said.  
  
"Thank you for the warning. Good-day to you." She turned away from him and walked out to the entrance hall, handed him his things and opened the door. He left quickly. As soon as the door was closed she let out the breath she had been holding in and ran to the library.  
  
Angelus knew what he had to do. And he could kill two birds with one stone by doing it. He would have to wait until Willow was away from the house and then he would take her to his Manor. He knew that when Elizabeth found out Willow was missing she would return and then he would have her as well. And then could start having fun.  
  
"Giles, he is completely insane." Willow said as she fell into one of the chairs in the library, "I kept picking up these words in his head, and they made no sense, and then someone was talking to me. I kept hearing this whispering in my ear." Giles leaned forward and patted her hand. She was talking frantically and her breathing was becoming erratic.  
  
"It's going to be all right. Just try to calm down." He tried to reassure her. She leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes. She needed to calm herself.  
  
Xander walked behind her and started massaging her shoulders. She smiled and put her hands on his. He could always calm her fears. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.  
  
"Thank you Xander. I'm fine now." He kissed the top of her head and sat back down. She took one of the papers in front of her and began writing the words she had seen in Angelus' mind as well as what had been whispered into her ears. She then slid the paper to Giles.  
  
"Longinus, Constantine, Spear. These were in his thoughts?" he asked her and she nodded, as he read on, "Death follows this one. The witch is en route with the relic, he must not possess the relic." He rubbed his chin with his hand and thought of what he had read. He continued.  
  
"Well, we know for certain that death does follow him. Therefore, whatever this relic is he must not get his hands on it." Xander took the note and studied it for a moment. He knew something, where had he seen those words?  
  
"It would also appear that he has a witch in his employ." Giles started to reach for the paper in Xander's hands until Xander shot up out of his chair.  
  
"Wait!" he shouted. Giles looked at him with confusion. "Giles. The Spear of Longines." Giles' face grew pale and he leaned back into the chair.  
  
"Good lord. Willow, I am afraid you were correct. Angelus is completely and utterly insane." 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Elizabeth's' room  
  
In her waking sleep she heard the voices downstairs, yet could not understand what was being said. It did not matter. Wesley had told her she would come out of her deep sleep slowly at times, and begin to hear the goings on around her before she would fully wake. Had someone walked into the room she would have sensed them immediately.  
  
She walked in slow fluid steps. She knew he was coming. She felt him as he approach her from behind. She felt his hands on her waist as he pulled her against his chest. She resisted the urge to turn around; she seemed to know this was how he wanted her for now. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent, she smelled of vanilla and a hint of bergamot. His hands traveled up the side of her body and around to cup her breasts. He was warm, so very warm.  
  
Her body trembled as he slid one hand inside her bodice and teased her now hard nipple between his fingers. She leaned further back against him. His other hand had moved to her shoulder and lightly up to her neck. Slowly his fingers traced a path to her face, which was followed by light kisses from soft warm lips. She reached her arms back around to his waist and then moved downward and grabbed hold of his very solid buttocks. She pulled him to her.  
  
He moaned against her neck. She turned her head slightly and met his lips with hers. At first the kisses were soft, but they quickly felt the need to devour each other. She moaned into his mouth as she felt his rock hard erection even through the numerous layers of her dress. Her eyes opened and looked into the deep blue depths that were burning a path down to her now fully exposed breast.  
  
In one sudden movement, he turned her around, threw her against the wall tearing open the front of her dress. He clamped his mouth onto her right nipple as she threw her head back and arched into him. With equal fervor he kneaded her other breast with his hand. His mouth moved to the hollow of her neck and he nipped his way down to her other breast. She felt the wetness build inside of her as he reached under her dress with his free hand. He continued the ministrations to her nipple with his mouth as he tore away at her undergarments. He slid his fingers along her outer folds as she clawed at his back, and slowly inserted one finger into the wet chasm that he would soon be exploring with his tongue. She grabbed his hair and pulled him up for a kiss, and stopped. She looked around and heard the sound of frantic knocking on a door.  
  
She woke with a start. Her needless breathing came heavily as she rose to her elbows. She looked around the room and then down at her dress, and sat up. She put one hand to her lips and the other to her chest.  
  
"My God," she whispered and closed her eyes; "I can feel him inside of me". She lay back and curled her body onto the bed. "I can taste him still." She smiled and started to laugh into the pillow. She was either going crazy or, she stopped laughing and sat up again, or this man was real. All these familiar dreams she had been having. All the moments she felt him holding her and touching her had never felt as real as they did today.  
  
La Rosa del Mar ship off the coast of France  
  
Spike awoke to hear loud knocking. Andrew had been trying to wake him up for 10 minutes, and couldn't seem to get him to open the door.  
  
"What the?" He looked around his room and felt a sudden chill come over him.  
  
"Spike! Are you up yet?" Andrew yelled from the other side of the door. Just as he was about to knock again the door flew open.  
  
"Yes! Christ Andrew you could wake the bloody dead with all that knockin'." He turned and started looking around the small cabin for his pants. Spike had no problem with his nudity, and since he and Andrew had been traveling together for so long, and at times had to share the same room Andrew was used to it by now. Andrew walked into the room and sat at the small table next to the porthole. He took some papers from his pocket and unfolded them out in front of him. He ironed out the creases with his hands and started to study the map and the side notes made on the edges.  
  
As Spike was buttoning his shirt there was another knock on his door. They both looked at the door and then at each other.  
  
"Never had this much company on land." Spike said annoyed, and opened the door. An old man handed him a note.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you sir, but this note was brought onboard last night." Spike took the note and read it. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Why didn't I get this when it arrived?" he said in exasperation and handed the note to Andrew.  
  
"Sorry, we were busy, what with loading the ship with food and then sailin' it." Snapped the old man. Spike slammed the door in his face and was sure he heard it thump against the mans nose. He smiled with satisfaction and walked to the table and sat down next to Andrew.  
  
"Well at least he gave it to us before we got all the way to Spain. This is better. I wasn't looking forward to being on this ship for the next 3 weeks. Besides we have better contacts in France anyway. Plus we should be there by tomorrow and the sooner we start the sooner we can find the girl and then get back to England, and.. "  
  
"And, all right." Spike put his hand up making Andrew stop. "How can you be so awake this early in the morning?" He went back to bed and laid down.  
  
"Because my friend. I didn't drink a bottle and a half of scotch before I went to bed." Andrew said as he gathered his now useless map of Spain and walked out the door.  
  
Spike closed his eyes hoping to fall asleep again and dream of her. He put his hands to his face. They smelled of vanilla. 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Elizabeth walked down to the library to find Giles, Willow and Xander pouring over several dozen books thrown on the large table.  
  
"It seems I've missed something." They all looked up and smiled  
  
"Yes, a very big something at that." Said Giles as he stood to retrieve another book from the shelf. Elizabeth sat down next to Willow.  
  
"We found out what Angelus is up to. At least we think we have." Said Willow as she pushed the book she had been reading in front of Elizabeth, and pointed to a picture. "This is the spear of Longinus, also referred to as the Spear of Destiny. And we think Angelus has located it." Elizabeth stared at the picture.  
  
"What does it do? Does it have some magical properties?" she asked  
  
Giles motioned to Xander to hand him the notes he had made earlier.  
  
"It has long been believed that this is the spear that pierced the body of Christ as he hung on the crucifix. It has also been lost for many centuries. And near as we can ascertain, Angelus as Willow mentioned, has somehow found it. We believe it to be en route to England." He gave Xander back his notes, and then Xander spoke.  
  
"The spear is said to have existed since the beginning of recorded time. There are records showing that the emperor Constantine was guided by this," Xander tried to think of the right words, "divine providence I guess would be the correct way to put it. His victory at Milvian Bridge, was the pivotal battle in the establishment of Christianity as the official Religion of the Holy Roman Empire, and he carried this sword with him at the time."  
  
"If this spear is some holy relic then it has to be a good thing. What good would it do Angelus to have it, how can he use it?" asked Elizabeth.  
  
"It was also in the hands of the Emperor Justinian, who used it for cruelty, thus tainting it with a dark evil quality. It is that evil quality that will allow Angelus control the armies of Europe. Buffy if he can do that then he.." Giles didn't have a chance to finish.  
  
"Then he can control the armies of the world." Finished Willow.  
  
"So, that's it then." Elizabeth got up, "My God, he's mad. I can't believe I let that man ever so much as lay a finger on me." She put her hands on her hips, "Do we know where this spear is exactly?" Willow stood and walked to her.  
  
"I think I can perform a spell to locate it. We need to intercept that spear Buffy. When Angelus was here.." Elizabeth's eyes grew wide.  
  
"WHAT?" She shouted.  
  
"Its all right. He has no idea you are here. He actually came to see me." Elizabeth now put her hand on Willows shoulder.  
  
"Willow, did he do anything to you?"  
  
"I'm fine, he just came here to scare me. He wanted me to give up the Power of Attorney. He wants to sell the your home."  
  
"No doubt, so that he can build more capital to fund his little world domination project." Said Xander.  
  
"Buffy." Willow walked back to the table and looked at the picture she had shown Elizabeth, "I heard someone whispering to me when he was here. They said that we can't let him posses the spear. They also said that death follows him. He's not done killing." Willow turned back to look at Elizabeth.  
  
"He'll never be done killing." Said Elizabeth as she turned to look out the windows on the upper level of the library, "It's dark. I need to go out for a while. I'm going to get into the tunnels in McKenna Manor. Faith and Wesley said Angelus does most of his planning from his room. When I find it I'll see if I can hear anything that might help us. In the meantime, Willow you get working on that spell." She turned to Giles and Xander. "We may also need to get notice to Wesley and Faith. They may be able to get to that spear before it gets to England. 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Elizabeth left the house and started walking towards the home of Lord Angelus McKenna. She arrived fairly quickly. Speed was one of the great advantages of now being an otherworldly creature. She was apprehensive after her change, not knowing how she would adjust. But much to her surprise, she was adjusting quite well. She something to be feared and she liked it. When she arrived she went to the stables. As she half expected, there was Riley Finn.  
  
"Well, well, why does it not surprise me to see him here?" she said in a low voice. He was talking to a woman. Actually it was more like yelling. Apparently the woman had just told him she was with child and that he was the father. He emphatically denied it. Whenever the woman tried to speak and reason with him he stopped her. At one point he slapped her. When she recovered herself from the ground, she turned and ran out of the stables, wiping away blood and tears.  
  
He stood laughing at the woman. Elizabeth looked at him and thought 'what a poor excuse for a man, I don't suppose he will be missed.' She made a rustling sound outside that caught Riley's attention. He turned and walked out of the stables to investigate the noise. As he was nearing the bush she crept up behind him and tapped his shoulder. He turned and took a step back at the sight of her.  
  
"Miss Elizabeth? What are you doing here?" she smiled and approached him slowly.  
  
"I decided not to go to France after all." She got close enough to him to put her hands on his chest, "Is Angelus home?" He nodded, "Riley do you sleep inside the manor house?" Again he nodded, "Will you take me to your room?" she smiled seductively at him and flicked her tongue at his lips. With her tongue she lightly traced his lips. He pushed her back and grabbed her hand, dragging her with him to the Manor.  
  
When they reached the door that lead inside to the servants section, she stopped. He walked inside and turned to look at her. She laughed at him flirtingly and picked up her long blonde hair up with smooth pale hands and then let it cascade down to her shoulders. Slowly she ran her hands down to her breasts, never looking away at him.  
  
"What are you standing there for," he said, his voice full of lust, "come inside." It had been easier than she thought. She followed him to his room. Once inside he locked the door. When he turned to face her she tore into him without a moments hesitation. She held her hand to his mouth to keep his screams from being heard. He tried to struggle but she was far too strong for him. He was dead within minutes. She drained him of every drop of blood he had. When she was finished she wiped her mouth on his shirt.  
  
"At least you were good for something." She picked his body up and opened the door. After quickly making sure no one was in the hall, she took his body outside behind the stables and buried it. She wanted no evidence of foul play on the grounds. Everyone would assume he had run off to shake the responsibility of becoming a father. She went around to the eastern corner of the manor and pushed a large stone aside. From there she would be able to gain access to the tunnels within. As soon as she was inside, she started to make her way through the maze. She immediately headed for the second floor, where all of the bedrooms were located. She went to every bedroom until she finally found the one occupied by Angelus.  
  
Faith and Wesley had been right. He was talking to a small young man about a woman named Amy. Elizabeth pushed out the small stone that allowed her to peer out of a small hole.  
  
"Where is she now?" asked Angelus  
  
"Turkey." Said the man.  
  
"Jonathan, you said she was using teleportation. Shouldn't she be here by now?" he was growing visibly annoyed. Angelus was annoyed quite often. He was so clever though having hidden this side of him from her. She chucked a bit and thought 'It must have been difficult for the wolf to play among the sheep for so long and never bare his teeth.'  
  
"She is moving herself as well as her bodyguards. It is a very difficult and draining experience. She needs time to recover after each spell. But, if my calculations are correct she will arrive in Belgrade by this coming Friday, and then.." Jonathan was sweating. He hated having to give any kind of information to Angelus regarding Amy. He was never satisfied with the answers and wound up taking out on him in some violent form. Angelus signed heavily.  
  
"I don't want to hear her fucking itinerary." He shoved the books on his writing desk, "I just want you to tell me she is HERE! Now get out, I'm tired of looking at you." He threw the wine glass he held in his hands at the wall next to Jonathan as he ran out of the room. Elizabeth was disgusted with the scene.  
  
"What a wanker." She muttered, no longer surprised at her newly acquired love for colorful words. She didn't think she would get anything more and turned to walked back down the stairs towards the exit point. Had she stayed longer she would have heard Angelus call Jonathan back into his room. He had forgotten to ask about another matter.  
  
"Have you been able to contact Rayne?"  
  
"Yes, I managed to get hold of him in London. He should be arriving within a day maybe two. I gave him a description of Miss Rosenberg and instructed she only abducted when she is alone." Angelus laughed.  
  
"Good, very good. Looks like you managed to please me after all Jonathan. Now get out." And Jonathan did so with great pleasure.  
  
Once she was out she ran into the woods to make her way back to Giles' home. As she ran, she quickly realized that she needed to make a radical change in her wardrobe. While she was in the tunnels her dress gotten caught several times on the jagged edges of the unfinished rock walls. She was trying to maneuver herself through bushes and all sorts of different trees and foliage, and then the unthinkable happened. She fell on her face.  
  
"Oomph," she slowly pushed herself up and took several leaves out of her mouth and dusted herself off, "Phfft, ick. Wonderful. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Miss Elizabeth Summers, the world's clumsiest vampire." She continued to brush leaves and dirt off of her dress, "I'll bet Wesley never fell on his face making a get away." She walked through the woods with no further tripping incidents, yet by the time she arrived at the house, her dress was torn to shreds.  
  
When she arrived at the house she went directly back to the library . Much as they did earlier the others looked up from the books and stared at her. Only this time with confusion.  
  
"Hard night of vampage?" asked Xander as he raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I think I need a more stealth inducing wardrobe. It isn't easy getting around in 4 layers of skirt and a corset." Since she was turned she had noticed that her friends never questioned her regarding her hunting. If anything they joked about it. Maybe it was their way of dealing with the fact she was killing human beings for their blood. Or maybe they just thought as she did. That those she killed deserved the justice she had dealt to them. Her senses were attuned to everything and everyone. Wesley was correct when he told Giles that there were many evils in the world. Monsters come in all shapes and sizes.  
  
"I can bring you some of my old clothes that are too small for me. At least you can wear those in the meantime." Xander offered.  
  
"Yes, Jenny can take them in for you if need be, and Willow perhaps you can go into town sometime soon and get Buffy a few more things." Said Giles peering over his glasses. Willow looked at Buffy and smiled.  
  
"That's fine. We're about the same size so I can get you a few outfits. And maybe I can get some for myself." They looked at her. "Well dresses are fine and nice and all, but Buffy is right, they are not very practical for stealthiness."  
  
"And what do you have to be stealthy about?" asked Giles lifting his head fully from his reading.  
  
"I thought maybe I could go out with Buffy some time."  
  
"What? Willow no, its too dangerous. Besides you may not like what you see. Its one thing to know what I have to do, but its another thing all together to see it" Elizabeth couldn't believe what Willow was asking.  
  
"Buffy, I want to be supportive. I want to understand what you are and what you do. I know that there is evil out there. We're all part of something now. I want to help. "  
  
"You are helping. Your doing that locator spell, and you were able to do the mind thing with Angelus." Elizabeth knew that sometimes Willow was unsure of her abilities and needed her confidence built up.  
  
"But I can do more. I know I can. I have power; I know it's inside of me. Buffy there isn't only evil here, it's everywhere. We've been looking through books and making notes and I've been sitting here thinking that this is what I want to do. Fight evil, help people. I mean, I-I think it's worth doing. And I know your doing this partly because of what Angelus did to your parents, but I think you're also doing it because you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in." Xander and Giles both looked at each other and realized that they felt the same way.  
  
"What she said goes for the both of us as well." Said Xander. Elizabeth now had tears in her eyes.  
  
"I love you all so much." She laughed and there was soon a very wet group hug, "I suppose we are a team then." They all laughed a bit and then went back to their former spots.  
  
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. When I did the locator spell, I placed the spear in Turkey." Willow showed Elizabeth the map she had used for the spell, and the mark she had made on Turkey.  
  
"You're right, it is in Turkey. I managed to get into the manor and heard Angelus talking to someone named Jonathan. The witches name is Amy. She's using teleportation to move herself and others. Jonathan said that they would be in Belgrade by this Friday." Giles looked down at the map and made a line to indicate their path.  
  
"Today is Wednesday, and Friday she will be here," Giles indicated the spot where Amy would be next.  
  
"I also heard Jonathan say that Amy needed time to recuperate from each teleportation." Elizabeth added.  
  
"Then if we wait another two days or so, perhaps some sort of pattern will emerge and we can anticipate where she will be by the end of next week. I think we can safely assume they will be somewhere in France, if my guess is correct."  
  
"Xander," Elizabeth looked at Xander, "I need for you to get a message to Wesley and Faith and tell them everything that's going on?"  
  
"I can do that. Oh and I'll also tell them that they may need to intercept Amy in France."  
  
"Yes, very important. We need to get to that spear before it reaches Angelus. I can't leave I need to keep an eye on Angelus. Willow, Giles, I'm thinking that teleportation is a somewhat advanced thing in terms of magic. Which lead me to ask how powerful do you think this Amy is?"  
  
"It does require a certain amount of power. But, power can be borrowed. It doesn't mean she has that power inside of her all of the time." Giles started to pick up some of the books in front of him.  
  
"That's right. It takes a great deal of energy to perform something like that. If she is traveling with other people, its possible that she is using the life energy from the people she is with. That must be why they seem to be traveling every few days." Said Willow as she looked at Giles.  
  
"She as well as her companions need time to, regenerate their energies. I don't doubt this woman's skill, but I gather a more powerful witch would be able to perform teleportation without draining energy from others." Added Giles.  
  
They decided to call it a night. Xander stayed and slept in the guest room, and Willow, Giles and Elizabeth retreated to their own rooms. Xander woke up early and walked out the stables to get his horse. He stopped when he heard Giles call out to him.  
  
"Xander, I wanted to discuss something with you before you left." Giles said as he walked to him. Xander looked worried for a moment, "I know you have been spending quite a bit of time here lately and I thought it may be more comfortable if you just had your things moved here." Xander smiled broadly.  
  
"Well, your house is a more comfortable than where I live now. You don't mind?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, I wouldn't ask you if I minded. Xander you know you are welcome in my home. You're like a son to me. I feel as though I practically raised you." Giles put his hand on Xander's shoulder, "And I don't think Willow would mind either." He smiled and turned around to walk to the house.  
  
Xander was elated. He quickly got on his horse and rode back to his office. Once he arrived he wrote a letter to Wesley explaining everything that had been found out and discussed since he and Faith had left, he also said that he would leave further instructions for them in London and to go to the office of a Mr. Parker Abrams Esq. When he finished he took it to the postmaster and said it was important business. He made sure to put it on his stationary thus making it look like legal papers instead of what it actually was.  
  
Giles' offer would make it easier for all of them to work together. Faith and Wesley would still have their room, thus leaving Xander his own as well. Xander had not heard from his parents in over 10 years, and never had a good relationship with them. Where Joyce Summers was like a mother to him, Rupert Giles was like a father. And the fact that he would be closer to Willow didn't hurt either. He had noticed lately that his feelings towards Willow were rapidly moving form wanting her as just a friend to wanting to take her and ravish her. Xander packed all his belongings from the small room he kept behind his office and left for his new home. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Giles had been marking on his map the route Amy had taken, it had been deduced that she was traveling every 2 to 3 days. She had gone form Turkey to Belgrade and today she was in Austria. Willow had noted a pattern of a somewhat straight line, and it was decided that the next stop for Amy and the spear would most probably be Paris. She would be there for at least 3 days so it would give Faith and Wesley time to get there.  
  
Willow had sent Faith the incantation and instructions for the locator spell, and Giles sent a talisman imbibed with the power she would need to perform the spell.  
  
Wesley and Faith  
  
Faith and Wesley had left Ireland after Xander's first note arrived. There was a brief stop in London where they picked up another message with the spell and talisman. Wesley in turn sent Xander instructions and documents for him to open accounts England. Since he and Faith would be settling in England he wanted to have easy access to his money.  
  
Wesley had been a vampire for almost 200 years, and in that time had amassed a great deal of money as well as land all over Europe. He was a wealthy man, and that made it easy to travel without being interrupted. Money may not buy happiness, but it can very well buy privacy.  
  
Wednesday evening  
  
Once they landed in France they immediately started towards Paris. Upon arrival they found a small inn and settled in. They had fed once while on the ship. A vampire could go days, weeks, and even several months and in rare instances years without feeding if they had to. It was the deep sleep of the dead, but it was not recommended. A living skeleton is not a pleasant sight. They decided they would go and have their fill of the local cuisine so to speak. Tomorrow they would do the spell to locate Amy. As soon as they found out where she was and got the spear, they needed to get it back to England quickly, so there was no telling when the next time they would be able to feed would be.  
  
Thursday morning - England  
  
Willow and Xander had ridden into town together. Xander had to meet a client in the client's shop and Willow had decided to go out and get Elizabeth some clothes. Some of the clothes Xander had given her were taken in by Jenny, and fit her quite well, but, since Xander had not worn them in years, they were very outdated. Elizabeth wanted something more up to date as well as something that could blend into the darkness.  
  
"Well, I should be an hour maybe two. Here, take the key to my office. I'll meet you there. Is that all right?" Xander handed Willow the keys. He put a hand on her cheek and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She blushed. She looked so innocent he thought. Willow looked at him with huge green eyes. She had loved him for so long. She was devastated after his brief affair with Faith, but ultimately forgave them both. After all, she had never confessed her feelings for him to anyone. He kissed her so many times before in this fashion, yet today it felt different.  
  
She put her hand on his shoulder and in what was a very brazen move for her; she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. His eyes grew wide for a moment due to the initial shock. She frowned thinking she had made a mistake. But he smiled at her.  
  
"I love you my sweet Willow. I'll try to finish up quickly." Xander didn't want to let her go, and Willow was floating on a cloud. She smiled back at him.  
  
"And I love you Xander. I'll be waiting." She turned and walked down the street. She had tears in her eyes. Xander also turned and walked down the street to his appointment, counting the seconds until he would see her again.  
  
They had both been so entranced with each other that they failed to notice the 3 menacing looking strangers across the street. They followed Willow and stopped as she walked into a shop.  
  
"What are we waiting for?" said Travers.  
  
"We are waiting for her to be alone, you nit." Replied Ethan. "Or do you want everyone to know what were doing?"  
  
Willow came out of the shop after about an hour. She had several packages in her arms as she walked to Xander's office. She got to the office door and balanced the packages on one hand and tried to open her purse with her other. As she took the key out and placed it into the lock, she was attacked.  
  
Xander's office was at he end of a street where there were other offices. It was not a heavily trafficked area usually, and today was no different. The larger of the men, Olaf, covered her mouth with his hand and grabbed her by the waist moving her quickly into a waiting carriage. Ethan started the horses moving. Travers closed the curtains in the carriage and gave Willow a sedative. They were gone within seconds.  
  
Xander had finished with his appointment early and walked to the shop were he thought he would find Willow. When he arrived the owner told him she had left 10 minutes earlier. He walked out smiling and whistling. It felt as though he had wings and he was flying. He loved Willow and she loved him. For him all was well in the world at this moment.  
  
As he rounded the corner and turned onto his street he saw packages lying on the ground in the distance. He quickened his pace. He realized it was his office and ran as fast as he could. When he reached the door he saw Willow's purse on the ground and the key in the lock. 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Xander ran to the stables and got on his horse. He raced back to the house. He was furious, and afraid. He had planned to ride to Angelus' manor but thought better of it. There was little doubt in his mind that Angelus had his hand in this. But he couldn't go alone.  
  
He arrived at the house and jumped off the horse so clumsily that he twisted his ankle on landing. He strained to get to his feet and limped into the house.  
  
"GILES! BUFFY!" He fell to the floor crying. It wasn't the pain of his ankle; it was the fact that someone had taken his Willow. Angelus had her and God knows what he was doing to her.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Willow was waking up. She found herself in a dark room. She hung from a rope; her feet barely touched the ground. Most of her clothes had been stripped off. She was only wearing her corset and long bloomers. She was cold and frightened. She heard a door open behind her and tried to swing around, but only succeeded in causing herself more pain in her sore wrists.  
  
"Save your strength Miss Rosenberg. You're going to need it." Angelus had walked into the room and started lighting candles. She looked around the room and wished for the darkness again. The room was void of furniture, except for one chair in a corner. On the walls there hung, whips, clamps, several different sizes of mace's and pokers. She saw where a rope was tied to a hook, and looked up to notice that it was the same rope that held her up. Angelus had started a fire in the fireplace.  
  
"Now.." he walked to the corner and retrieved the chair, and dragged it in front of her. He sat down, crossed his legs and folded his hands onto his lap, "shall we continue our discussion from the other day?"  
  
She tried to open her mind to his, but she was still feeling the affects of the drug. She couldn't focus and she was too scared to concentrate on anything but what she imagined he was planning to do to her, not to mention how she would get out of there.  
  
Giles' home  
  
Giles and Elizabeth managed to calm Xander down and wrap his ankle.  
  
"I've got to get her out of that there. Why won't that damn sun go down already!" Elizabeth felt like a caged animal. The demon was stirring inside of her. 'Wait.. wait for Angelus, then I'll let you go'. She spoke to her demon as it if were a whole other person sometimes. In a way it was, but she knew very it was just another part of the whole Elizabeth now.  
  
"Buffy, calm down. This is difficult for all of us, but you can't afford to make a mistake because you aren't thinking straight."  
  
"Giles is right Buffy. We can't go in there.."Elizabeth turned to look at Xander.  
  
"We? You are not going anywhere." She said.  
  
"That monster has Willow. I don't even want to think about what he's doing to her. I'm not staying here!" He yelled back.  
  
"Yes you are!" Giles pounded his fist onto the table. "You are in no condition to go anywhere, and if you come we will not only have to worry about Willow but you as well." He softened his voice when he saw the fear in Xander's eyes. "I know how you feel about her. I can see it every time she walks into a room. The way you look at her as though she were the only woman in existence. But you must stay here. Buffy and I will get her out of there and bring her home." Xander nodded and bowed his head.  
  
Giles armed himself with a crossbow and a sword. Elizabeth slid a small dagger into her belt. They left Xander in the library. They went to the stables, mounted their horses and rode to rescue Willow.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus had grown tired of waiting for the pokers he had placed into the fire to grow sufficiently hot, so he decided to amuse himself with a whip. He held the whip in his hand and came up behind Willow.  
  
"You see Miss Rosenberg. I am a man who is used to getting what he wants." He slid the whip up her back. Willow's eyes grew wide. She didn't know what he was touching her with, yet she braced herself for something painful. Angelus stepped back and swung with all his might. Willow let out a loud scream. She was breathing heavy and fast. She had never felt anything so excruciatingly painful in her life, until the second lashing. Then came the third, then the fourth, the fifth, until she lost count.  
  
Elizabeth and Giles arrived at the Manor. They dismounted their horses and were immediately set upon by the men outside the guarding the front doors. Giles dispatched of one quickly using the crossbow. Elizabeth grabbed her knife and swung it at her attacker. He ducked out of her way and threw a punch, which she blocked. She kicked him in the gut and stabbed him in the neck as he bent forward. She had not fed since he night before, the blood of the man she had just killed distracted her for a moment. The she remembered Willow, they came for Willow.  
  
"Giles, I'm going in!" she called. Giles had just finished drawing his sword out of the last mans stomach and followed her into the Manor.  
  
"Wait, I'm coming with you." He yelled as he ran behind her and re-loaded his crossbow. She nodded and they ran inside. It had grown late and most of Angelus' men were in their quarters. Elizabeth stopped.  
  
"What is it?" asked Giles out of breath.  
  
"Willow. I smell fear and blood." She followed the scent. They tried to be as quite as possible. Elizabeth was insane with fear for Willow. She finally came upon the door of the room and with one hard kick, down came the door. She took her knife and threw it at the rope holding Willow up. Willow came down heavily.  
  
"Elizabeth? How nice of you to drop by. Back from France so soon?" Angelus swung the whip at her only to have her catch it in mid air and pull him towards her fist.  
  
"Giles get her out of here!" Giles threw down his sword and put his crossbow back in his shoulder harness. He ran to Willow and threw her over his free shoulder. He turned to look at Elizabeth, "GO!" She yelled as Angelus struggled to pick himself up. Giles ran out of the room and down the stairs. He saw a man come toward him and reached over his other shoulder, drew the crossbow and shot the man in the eye. He draped Willow onto his horse and climbed on. He took one last look toward the open door. Elizabeth was still inside, but he knew she could take care of herself; at least that's what he told himself as he rode back home.  
  
Elizabeth was crouched over Angelus beating him with her fists.  
  
"You sick son of a bitch!" Each word was emphasized with a punch. She was so caught up in her punishment of his face that she failed to sense the man coming up behind her.  
  
"AAAAGGGHHH!!" she could feel her demon come upon her as she looked down at the sword that had come out through her stomach. Angelus was looking at her with horror. Ethan drew the sword out and she fell to her side.  
  
"What the hell are you?" He rushed towards her picked her up by the shoulders and looked at her face as the demon withdrew, "A vampire?" He dropped her hard on the floor. He stood up and backed away from her slightly. Elizabeth was weak. What little blood she had the night before was now seeping through her wound and the pain didn't help either.  
  
"My how quickly the tide changes doesn't it?" Angelus crouched down to her again and picked her head up by her hair, "what was it that you called me? Ah yes, a sick son of a bitch," he laughed loud, "you don't know the half of it my dear. I have plans for you." He dropped her head and stood. He started to walk out of the room and turned to Ethan.  
  
"Bring her and follow me." Ethan picked Elizabeth up and followed Angelus down the stairs and out of the manor. He instructed Ethan to place her in an open carriage and they drove to St. Vincent's Chapel outside the grounds of the manor.  
  
When they arrived Angelus got out of the carriage and opened the chapel doors. No one was there at this late hour. The doors were rarely locked, and he let himself in. Elizabeth was drowsy; she was slipping in and out of consciousness. She managed to jump off the carriage and tried to run, but was too weak and fell. Angelus ran after her and grabbed her arm.  
  
"Oh no you don't! Just where do you think you are going?" He dragged her to the chapel entrance. "Now I have to invite you in, is that how it works? Elizabeth please, come inside, there is something I wish you to see." He continued dragging her up the aisle. Ethan was already inside and had lit a large candle next to the alter. Elizabeth had momentarily fainted.  
  
She now felt herself waking up slowly. She remembered Giles taking Willow out of the manor. She prayed that they had gotten away. Giles would start to look for her once he realized she wasn't coming home. He would know something went wrong, he would know what to do, how to help her. She heard something like stone being moved. Then felt herself being picked up and dropped onto a hard surface. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up.  
  
"Are you comfortable?" asked Angelus as he looked down at her, "I hope so, because you are going to be spending a long time in here. I don't know much about vampires but I do know that they are dead bodies, reanimated by the blood of their victims. So I'm thinking if you don't have blood then you are in a somewhat suspended animation. So you know what I think that means? I think it means you are going to lie here, until the end of time. Listening to voices, feeling the hunger, needing the blood too weak to scream." He laughed again, "You are going to go mad." He looked at her for a long while.  
  
"Do you have any last words?" he asked her. She looked at him through narrow yellow eyes.  
  
"I'm going to kill you." She growled. With Ethan's help, Angelus started to close the lid.  
  
"I'd like to see you try."  
  
And then darkness. 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Giles had been riding his horse at a slow pace. He did not want to risk hurting Willow any more than she already was. He looked down at her back. It had stopped bleeding, but there were marks covering her entire back. Her corset was tattered and torn. She was moaning and he knew she was in incredible pain. He kept thinking about Elizabeth. She was probably home by now, he thought. He hoped.  
  
St. Vincent's Chapel  
  
She heard them leave. The alter was made of thick elaborately carved wood. The top was edged in alabaster to accommodate the slab of the same material. It was quite striking and served quite well as the centerpiece of the chapel. Her sword wound was already starting to close, but the damage had been made. Elizabeth felt herself fade. How long could she lay there before she was found? Before she went mad with hunger. She felt her mind slipping away once again.  
  
"Help me, somebody help me." She whispered as she lost her battle to stay awake.  
  
Giles' Home  
  
Giles finally arrived at the house. Xander met him at the door.  
  
"Oh God, Willow." He moved toward her.  
  
"Xander, I must take her to her room. Go into the lab. There's an ointment I need, it's on the shelf over the table, in a yellow jar. Hurry." He stopped for a moment and looked around and called out, "Jenny!" Jenny came from the parlor.  
  
"Oh thank God you found her." she ran up the stairs and opened the door to Willows room and lit a kerosene lamp. Giles gently placed Willow on her stomach atop her bed. Xander had found the jar and ran up the stairs as fast as his ankle would let him.  
  
"Rupert, I'll go and get some warm water so that we can wash her up a bit." Jenny was only this informal with Giles in private, but now was not the time for informalities. Besides it was by now common knowledge in the household that they were lovers.  
  
Xander sat on the opposite side of the bed and moved slowly to Willow. He leaned down and started stroking her head softly. She turned her head slowly and looked at him. She opened her eyes and saw the look of anguish on his face.  
  
"Willow." He whispered, "Willow please." He started crying, "you can't leave me now. Please Willow I.. I can't lose you." He felt her take his trembling hand.  
  
"Shh.. don't cry. I'm not going anywhere, Xander." She could barely speak, but she knew that he needed the comfort of her assurance that she was not leaving him. Jenny came into the room with a basin of water and some soft cloths. She put it on the night table and Giles began to clean away the blood from the cuts made by the whip. She hissed in pain each time he placed the cloth on her, yet it needed to be done. Xander kept stroking her hair and whispering words of comfort in her ear. Giles finished and took the jar of ointment and handed it to Jenny.  
  
"Put some of this on her wounds. Then we should let her rest." She nodded and sat down next to Willow. "Xander come, she'll be fine." Xander kissed Willow on the hand and then lightly on her lips and left with Giles.  
  
"Xander," Giles put his arm around the young mans shoulder, "she is going to be fine. The ointment will help with the healing process. She is a strong woman." Xander wiped a tear from his cheek and nodded.  
  
"I know. I just." He sighed, "My God Giles, what did that animal do to her. I don't want to think of what could have happened if you and Buffy hadn't arrived on time." Giles stopped and looked at Xander.  
  
"Has she returned?" asked Giles.  
  
"No. I thought she would have come in right after you. What happened out there Giles?"  
  
"We managed to get into the manor with minimal violence. Buffy found Willow fairly quickly." Giles took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, "She was insane with rage, I've never seen her like that. The last I saw of her she was giving Angelus quite a right and proper beating. I should have done something, but."  
  
"Giles, you had to get Willow out of there. Buffy is strong. She can take care of herself. I'm sure she is going to walk through that door any moment."  
  
Thursday evening - Paris - Wesley and Faith  
  
Wesley and Faith had performed the spell as Willow had written. Amy was staying on a small farm outside the village of Rouen. It was late and chances were good that everyone in the group was asleep  
  
The hard part would be the waiting. They could not enter the house and just take the spear; therefore they would have to wait for the opportunity of taking it from Amy once she was outside.  
  
Wesley walked around the house. There was a small stable off to one side. He walked in and saw that it had a loft. They could stay up there and hide during the daylight hours. He walked out and found Faith.  
  
"Faith, come, we can stay in the loft." He said to her as he pointed to the small building.  
  
"Wesley I don't know how we can do this. What if they move during the day?"  
  
"I have a minimal knowledge of magic, but I gather that a spell as powerful as teleportation being performed by a witch with borrowed power may be best done during the evening. She may be calling on dark forces to assist in her incantations. Dark magicks are best performed during the midnight hour." They walked hand in hand to the stable and made their way to the loft.  
  
There were no windows for sunlight to come through, and there was plenty of hay and blankets to make if comfortable for them to sleep. Although not the fanciest of places, it would have to do. As they were fixing a place for themselves, Wesley stopped. Faith looked at him.  
  
"Wesley? Are you all right?"  
  
"Something is not right. Its Buffy, I can feel something is wrong." He could feel her anguish even from this great distance. There was a deep connection between a sire and his fledgling. He looked at Faith and smiled. "First we get the spear, then we worry about Buffy."  
  
Spike and Andrew - Rouen, France  
  
When their ship docked in France, Spike and Andrew went to Paris. They had managed to get in touch with several contacts that had steered them in the direction of Rouen. It was there that they found the girl.  
  
Andrew had evoked an invisibility cloak over Spike. He would be able to walk into the house they had located the girl in. The cloak would enable Spike to get into the house but once inside the spell would dissipate and he would be seen.  
  
He entered the house, which was mostly empty of any furniture. There were two rooms. He had quietly entered each room. Each of the kidnappers had been asleep. He opened a door near the kitchen area. It was barely the size of a closet. He looked down and saw the girl. He had seen so much death in his life, and had been the cause of quite of bit of it, yet he never harmed a child. This poor little girl had been kept in this dark room, with little food and water. She was unbathed and her clothes torn. He saw burns and bruises on her arms and legs. Had they been delayed a day more, she would have surely died.  
  
He was by now visible, yet it did not matter, as he still had the upper hand. The men were asleep, and the girl seemed to be too weak to wake up and scream. He turned and walked to the first room. He stood at the door and raised his knife and threw it towards the man in the bed. Spike had pinpoint accuracy when it came to throwing knives, and he rarely missed. Even in the dark, he hit his target. The man gasped and convulsed for a few seconds. Spike walked to the bed and took his knife out of the mans throat. He walked to the other room. This time he walked to the bed and took this mans head in his hands and with little effort twisted his neck until he heard the tell tale pop that signaled the break.  
  
He took the blanket from the bed and went back to the girl. He bent down and wrapped her in it. She whimpered slightly, she was so tiny and fragile. He was relieved that she was still alive. He quickly rushed out of the house, got on his horse and rode back to the cottage he and Andrew had been staying in.  
  
Once there he placed her on a small cot. Andrew had gotten some bread at the market and he had made some fresh soup. He was also heating some water and pouring it into a large tub next to the hearth. The girl stirred a bit and started opening her eyes.  
  
"Hello there princess." The girl cowered away from Spike at first, "its all right sweetheart. You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you here. We're taking you to see your Grandfather." She smiled and moved closer to him. "I bet you're hungry right." she nodded as Andrew came and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Well, look who's awake." He gave Spike the bowel and handed the girl a piece of bread. "This is Spike and I'm Andrew. Now you get some food in your little tummy, then you can take a nice warm bath and get some sleep."  
  
"Yes Andrew." Her voice was barely a whisper.  
  
"And tomorrow you can put on a nice pretty dress and we can get you back home." Spike smiled at her.  
  
"A pretty dress for me?" It was almost too much for Spike to bear. She reminded him so much of his little girl. His eyes welled up.  
  
"Yes princess, the most beautiful dress we could find in Paris, and its all for you. Now be a good girl and have some soup." She ate all of her soup and two more pieces of bread. Then while Spike and Andrew were turned around she took her bath. They tucked her in and kissed her goodnight.  
  
Andrew fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, yet Spike was troubled. In the darkness he stared at his little girl. There was never a day that went by when he didn't look at her. The locket was his warmth, his security. But tonight he felt a coldness fill his heart. There was sadness inside of him; he had felt it all evening. He wanted to get back to England. No, not wanted to get back, he needed to get back. It was a need, a desperation he felt within his soul. There was something calling to him. Even now in the darkness, in the stillness of the night, he could feel it. 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Sunday morning - England  
  
It had been 3 days now and Elizabeth still had not returned. Giles was at his wits end. Since Willow was rescued there had been no further attempts from Angelus to accost her. Giles had placed wards around the perimeter of the house so that there would be no chance for anyone to get in. They were all gathered in the library. Xander's ankle had healed and thanks to the ointment he had been applying to her back, Willow was not finally strong enough to be out of bed. Giles had not wanted to ask her to perform any magic until he was sure she was strong enough, but they could wait not more.  
  
"Willow, do you think you are well enough to do a locator spell?"  
  
"To find Buffy?" Giles nodded, "Well or not, I'll do it. Xander can you get me the ravens dust over there on the shelf and the map?" Xander went and got her the items she had requested, and placed it on the table in front of her. Giles lit two candles and placed them on either side of the map. She sat back in her chair and poured a little of the dust in her hand. She closed her eyes for a moment and began her evocation:  
  
"Goddess Thespia, find the lost among us, recover our strength, and let her be known to us again, I ask thee to show us the way."  
  
She blew the powder over the map. The powder had gathered in one place and began to glow. It was covering the location of St. Vincent's Chapel. They looked at one another disbelief, and then looked at the map.  
  
"Willow are you sure this is correct?" Giles asked.  
  
"This is a basic spell. I don't see how it could have gone wrong." Willow questioned herself for a moment, but then felt sure that the location was correct.  
  
"Giles, what if Angelus got her in there somehow. Maybe he has her in a room, like.." Xander looked at Willow and shuddered. She noticed his voice falter and took his hand.  
  
"Xander is right Giles, who knows what he could be doing to her. We need to do something. We need to get into that chapel and get her out of there."  
  
"There is no way any one of us can go in there. We will be stopped before we can even get passed the front doors. If she is in there it is most likely being watched by Angelus' men." Giles sat down and put his hands on his head.  
  
"There is one person among us that Angelus has never seen." Said Xander. Giles looked at him. He had thought the same thing before, but shuddered at the thought of anything going wrong and something happening to Jenny. But Elizabeth was missing, and it was true that neither Angelus nor his men had ever seen Jenny.  
  
"Giles, she won't be in any danger." Said Willow. Giles walked out of the library. He knocked on Jenny's bedroom door and asked her to come to the library. Giles motioned for her to sit and then he began pacing.  
  
"Jenny, we believe we have found Buffy." Jenny smiled, but then got serious when she looked at the worry on their faces.  
  
"Where is she?" she asked and looked at all of them.  
  
"We think she is in St. Vincent's chapel." Said Giles and began to describe what he hoped would be a good plan.  
  
"We need for you to go there. Its Sunday so there will be quite a few people there. Angelus has no idea you work for me, so no one will harm you. There has to be a room somewhere, or perhaps there is some sort of a dungeon accessible from a door in the floor."  
  
"All right, but I don't know how I can look for her without calling attention to myself?" Jenny wanted to help any way she could, and she knew that Giles would not put her any danger, but it was true. How do you look for someone, when you don't know where you're looking, and what you're looking for, without looking suspicious?  
  
"I have an idea," Willow practically jumped out of her chair. "Jenny, can I have your cross for a moment?" Jenny took off her cross and handed it to Willow. "I need something that Buffy wore recently." Jenny got up and ran to Elizabeth's room. She was going to do laundry today, and had put some of her clothes on her bed. She took a blouse and ran back to the library and gave it to Willow. Willow then took the blouse and covered Jenny's cross with it.  
  
"Locate." She whispered with her eyes closed. She unwrapped the cross and gave it back to Jenny.  
  
"When you get close to where she is, the cross will begin to get warm." Jenny put the cross on and started to walk out of the library. Giles walked behind her and grabbed her arm. She turned.  
  
"Jenny, please be careful." He pulled her close to him and touched his forehead to hers and whispered, "If you see that nothing is happening just come back." She kissed him softly on the lips.  
  
"Don't worry Rupert. I'm not a little girl. I can take care of myself." She smiled and left for the chapel. She arrived to find the chapel filled with its usual Sunday worshipers. Jenny dismounted her horse. And walked into the chapel with no problem  
  
She stood near the back doors during the sermon. She had come late so she did not have to sit through the whole service. She had walked from one side of the chapel to the other making it look as though she were looking for a seat. When the services ended it was easier for her to walk about. She slipped into two of the tiny booths used as confessionals, and felt nothing from her cross. She walked along the side and even felt bold enough to open a door that lead to the small office, which was used by the Vicar when he prepared his sermon, and still nothing. Willow's spell did not seem to have worked.  
  
She had walked up and down the chapel and nothing. As she was walking to the side door to leave she saw that the Vicar had dropped his notes. She rushed to aid the old man, and bent down to gather the papers. She grabbed hold of the alter to steady herself and suddenly felt a burning sensation on her chest. She let quickly took her hand off the alter and took hold of her cross.  
  
"Are you all right my dear?" asked the Vicar. Jenny looked at the alter; she hadn't heard the man speak. "Miss, are you ill?" She came back to reality and rose. She smiled at the old man.  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry Vicar, I just lost my balance. Here your notes." She looked back at the alter and slowly reached down and touched it once more. Willow's spell worked, she had found Elizabeth.  
  
"It is beautiful is it not?"  
  
"Yes. Beautiful." Jenny turned and excused herself. She walked as quickly as she could. When she got back to her horse she looked back at the chapel and noticed two very large men standing outside the doors. They had not been there before and they had not been inside during the sermon. They were watching, guarding. Guarding Elizabeth.  
  
She rode back to the house as quickly as possible. She practically dove off of her horse and ran into the house. She immediately went to the library, where she knew they would all be.  
  
"Rupert." Giles stood and walked to her. "Oh my God Rupert, she's there." She was trembling as she hugged Giles.  
  
"Where? Where do they have her?" Giles asked. Jenny looked at him with horror in her eyes.  
  
"She's.." she could barely bring herself to say it, "she's inside the alter." Xander and Willow jumped up from their chairs.  
  
"This isn't happening." Xander threw his hands to his head and started pacing back and forth, his head shaking in disbelief. Willow could not even form words.  
  
"I walked all over that chapel. Then just as I was leaving I went to go and help the Vicar pick up some papers he had dropped. When I put my hand on the alter my cross felt as though it was on fire." She put out her hand where the cross had burned her, "Rupert it was on fire!" Giles poured her some water and gave it to her. She drank the water and calmed herself. "That's not all. As I left I noticed two very large and menacing looking men standing outside. I think they may be guarding the entrance." Giles hugged Jenny. Happy to have her safe in his arms and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Thank you Jenny, for your help." He smiled at her and she kissed him lightly on the lips.  
  
"You don't have to thank me. Just know that I will help in which ever way I can. I'll go fix us all some tea." She turned and walked out. The three sat in silence. Giles felt the guilt of having left her behind. Xander also felt guilt for not being able to have gone to help her fight, and Willow knew that if it had not been for Elizabeth trying to rescue her, she would not have gotten into the hands of Angelus.  
  
"How do we get her out of there Giles?" Willow's voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
"Those men Jenny saw are no doubt there to keep anyone from getting to her. We cannot go there, they will know us and not one among us has the skill and strength to take her by force. Willow you are still not strong enough to use the kind of magic we would need to assist us. We need help." Noted Giles.  
  
"Faith and Wesley are out of touch for a while." Xander said.  
  
"No, I meant professional help. I know a man in London; he's an old friend. He may be able to help, he may know some people. If I leave now I can be in London before Midnight." He stood up and started to walk out of the library then turned. "We'll get her back. I promise." Giles left that same day. He rode until nightfall.  
  
Sunday evening - England  
  
When he arrived in London he went to a small Inn located on Mulberry Square. He asked the innkeeper if he knew of a man named Federico Medina. The innkeeper directed him to the home of Medina. Giles walked down a few streets and found the home he was directed to. He knocked and waited. A small woman answered the door. It was still early enough so that he wasn't being rude by calling at a late hour.  
  
"Yes, may I help you sir." An older woman opened the door.  
  
"I would like to see Don Medina. My name is Rupert Giles. I'm an old friend." Giles smiled and took off his hat. The woman motioned for him to enter and asked him to wait in the hall. After a few minutes he heard the sound of heavy footsteps.  
  
"I almost did not believe it. Rupert, my friend," Medina came and gave his friend a warm hug. The smiled, laughed and slapped each other on the back several times. Medina lead Giles into the parlor and they sat down.  
  
"It has been quite a long time. How are you?" asked Medina  
  
"It has been quite a while, and I wish my visit was for a more pleasant reason, but I need your help." Medina looked at Giles with concern.  
  
"You are in trouble?"  
  
"No. Well not me. I." Giles sighed, "There is a young woman. She is like a daughter to me, and someone has taken her. I thought you may have kept in contact with some of the people we used to keep company with and." Medina held up a hand.  
  
"Say no more. I understand. It happens that I know what you are feeling. I recently had the same event befall my family. My granddaughter was taken from us. But she is safe now thank the good Lord. I know of two men who can help you, and they are close by." Medina told Giles that he would find the two men that helped him recover his granddaughter at the tavern down the street from the Mulberry square inn. He gave Giles their description, and said they were usually sitting in a booth in the farthest corner of the bar.  
  
Giles thanked Medina and promised a longer visit in the future. He walked to the tavern and as soon as he stepped inside he saw the two men. Just as Medina described. One was small and rather unimpressive, and seemed to be having a conversation with himself. The other man was striking in his appearance, Giles noted, and had an almost otherworldly quality about him. He walked towards the men and stopped at their table. They looked at him.  
  
"Excuse me, my name is Rupert Giles. I am in need of your services and have been recommended to you by Don Medina. " Giles leaned forward and whispered. Andrew held out his hand.  
  
"My name is Andrew Wells, and this is my partner William Boldhaus." Andrew whispered. Spike held his hand out and spoke in a normal voice.  
  
"Spike. Why are you whispering?" asked Spike as he leaned forward to shake Giles' hand.  
  
"Well I," Giles caught himself whispering and then began to speak normally, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was." He sat down next to Andrew.  
  
He was silent for a long while. Spike raised his arm and motioned for the barmaid.  
  
"Harmony, bring us another ale." Harmony came and placed the ale in front of Giles, who drank half of it down in one gulp. Spike raised his eyebrow and looked at Andrew. Andrew moved away from Giles slightly, giving him enough room so that he did not feel crowded, and decided to break the silence.  
  
"What can we do for you Mr. Giles?" Giles finally looked away from his ale and began to speak.  
  
"I understand you find missing people."  
  
"You understand correctly." Said Spike as absentmindedly played with the locket.  
  
"There is someone, very dear to me, that has been taken. I know where she is, however we, I cannot rescue her." he took a small sip. And waited.  
  
"If you know where she is what's the problem in you going to get her back. You said, rescue her. I'm assuming she is being held against her will?" asked Andrew.  
  
"Yes, well, there are special circumstances." Giles could not tell them Elizabeth was a vampire. He would have to hide the truth somewhat, even though he would sound like a crazy man, yet it needed to be done.  
  
"And these special circumstances would be?" Spike felt odd about this situation. There was definitely something strange about all of this. He felt some sort of unexplainable connection to this man, but he could not figure out what.  
  
"Well, the young lady in question is dead." Giles took another drink. Spike and Andrew looked at each other with their mouths agape and eyes wide. Andrew leaned forward.  
  
"You want us to rescue a corpse?" Giles looked at Andrew with daggers in his eyes. "I'm sorry, you want us to rescue a dead young lady?"  
  
"I know it sounds rather odd and perhaps twisted, but, this young lady was like a daughter to me. Her parents were killed not long ago, and I promised to take care of her. I want to bury her along with her parents and she has been taken away by her former fiancé. The man was quite mad." Giles wasn't completely off base in his words regarding Angelus, the man was mad after all.  
  
"Why don't you just ask this man to let you bury her with her parents?" asked Spike.  
  
"I have tried, yet he refuses. He is quite violent and is used to having his way. Please you must help me. I don't know where else to turn. I am prepared to pay any amount you request, just please help me." Giles was pleading. Spike could hear the desperation in his voice, and he could tell that Andrew felt the same way. Spike and Andrew looked at each other. They had been working together for so long they could tell just by giving each other a certain look or nod what the other was thinking.  
  
"All right then Mr. Giles. We'll help you. We can leave in the morning." Said Spike. Giles let out a sigh of relief. He felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He finished his ale, and then walked back to the inn with the two men. They had decided to ride back with Giles at dawn. 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Sunday evening - Rouen, France  
  
Just as Wesley had predicted, on the third night the preparations were being made for the teleportation of Amy and the spear. He and Faith had gone out and fed before Midnight, and arrived back to see the circle being made with torches. There were several men walking in and out of the house. Wesley took out his picket watch and looked at it. The time was 11:55; the ceremony would have to start soon.  
  
"We cannot let them finish the ceremony." Wesley looked at Faith and smiled, taking her chin in his hand. "Are you still hungry my love?" Faith smiled at him with a wicked gleam in her eyes.  
  
"I am hungry for many things right now." She reached down and stroked his growing erection. He loved it when she was so brazen, but unfortunately now was not the time for such actions.  
  
"Later my Faith, later." He kissed her hard on her lips, and licked a small trickle of blood in the corner of her mouth. He put his arm around her waist and drew her closer. She deepened the kiss and thrust her tongue into his mouth in desperation. He drew back, remembering why they were there.  
  
"Spear now, passion later." She frowned, yet knew he was right. The time was drawing near, and they could not allow their need for each other to make them miss their only opportunity to take the spear. They looked around the corner of the house and saw the men gathered around the circle, and then saw a woman approach holding what looked like a large arrowhead in her hand. They both looked at each other  
  
"Is that it?" Faith asked  
  
"It must be. Although I expected something a bit more elaborate. I don't see anything else."  
  
Amy began chanting. As she chanted the flames of the torches grew higher and higher. Faith took Wesley's hand and he looked at her.  
  
"Be careful with the fire. Let's go." They ran out from behind the house. Wesley attacked the largest of the men and tore open his jugular vein, leaving him helplessly bleeding on the ground. Faith was rushed by another man, who grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her off the ground. She took his head and dug her thumbs into his eyes, until she could feel his brain on the other side. She took the sword the man had in his belt and swung it at another attacker stabbing him immediately in the heart.  
  
Amy watched in horror, yet did not stop her chanting. Wesley had grabbed another man and had twisted his arm so far behind the mans back that his shoulder had popped out of the socket. He then broke the mans spine with a swift kick at the small of his back.  
  
Faith had begun fighting with another man who tried to run away, while one man had already managed to escape the carnage. That left only Amy. Wesley moved to her quickly and took her by the shoulders. She instantly thrust the spearhead into his side, just below his ribs. He grabbed her hand and screamed in pain as they both fell to the ground. Faith turned and saw Wesley drop. She swung her sword and beheaded her opponent, then ran towards Wesley.  
  
Amy and Wesley were wrestling on the ground. They both held the spearhead in their hands. Faith came and kicked Amy in the face and she fell back taking half of the spearhead with her, leaving Wesley holding the other half. The winds started swirling within the circle. Amy held the spear to her chest and she was gone.  
  
Sunday evening - London - McKenna Manor  
  
Jonathan ran rushing to Angelus' room. He knocked on the door frantically. Angelus had heard men outside yelling and running. Something was happening. He opened the door and saw Jonathan standing in front of him pale as a ghost.  
  
"She is coming." He said shaking. Angelus pushed him out of the way and rushed down the stairs. He went outside and saw a flash of light and then there was a sudden explosion. When all the dust had settled he saw Amy standing in front of him, with blood on her clothes. He ran towards her and stopped before he got too close. Amy fell to her knees.  
  
"M.My lord," she held out the half of the spearhead to him, and fell to the ground. Angelus grabbed the fragment of the spearhead, and knelt down to her.  
  
"Amy, what happened?" he grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her, but she fell to the ground. She moaned slightly then opened her eyes.  
  
"They came." She coughed,  
  
"Who? Who came?" asked Angelus.  
  
"Vampires. They have the other half," she was wheezing, her lungs had collapsed, "there can be no power until they are united." Angelus looked at the fragment of the spear that he held in his hand. Amy looked at him.  
  
"When. you have both, sew them into a leather belt. This belt will give you strength, and power." She grabbed him by the forearm, and gave him one final cryptic message, "Do not presume it is finished. They will come for you." Her body grew limp and she fell back. He reached down and felt for her pulse. Amy was dead. The teleportation was too much for her without the power of the rest of the group.  
  
He stood and held the spearhead. It was the outer part of a spear. There was clearly a section that fit into the middle. He was fuming. Vampires.  
  
"So Elizabeth. Perhaps you will have some company in your tomb." He looked at the men standing in front of him. "Bury the witch." He turned and walked back into the manor.  
  
Rouen, France  
  
Amy had disappeared. Wesley tried to stand but his knees buckled and he fell back down. His wound was bleeding and he felt a burning sensation.  
  
"Wesley, let me see." Faith moved his hand away. The wound felt warm. She helped him once more to try and stand. He held the other part of the spearhead.  
  
"We have to get back to the Inn." Wesley got on one of the horses. Faith looked worried, "I'll be fine by the time we bet there. We heal quickly, remember." They rode for 5 hours and arrived just before dawn. They hurried to their room and luckily were unnoticed.  
  
Wesley took the spearhead out of his pocket and placed it atop a table. He sat down on the bed. Something was not right. He could still feel small amounts of blood coming from his still open wound.  
  
"Faith, this is not right." she walked to him and sat on the bed. She removed his jacket and could see his wound was still open and still warm.  
  
"Wesley, this is still bleeding."  
  
"It burns Faith." They looked at each other, and then at the spear. 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 21  
  
Sunday evening - Mulberry Square Inn - London  
  
Spike had woken up before dawn. He had slept very little since he had spent most of the night thinking why this job bothered him so much. It was odd to say the least. Andrew had knocked on the door and walked inside.  
  
"Andrew. What do you make of this job?"  
  
"Well, I think we can start with another cloaking spell. Giles said that there were two men guarding the entrance to the chapel, so I think if ." Spike stopped him.  
  
"No," he said rolling his eyes. "I mean, don't you think this bloke is a bit off his rocker wanting us to steal a corpse out of a church?"  
  
"Oh, that. Well, since you asked, I think maybe he may be the one that's obsessed. But he is paying us. And there is no harm to anyone, so."  
  
"S'pose your right." Spike shuddered for a moment, "I just don't fancy being in such close company to a cold, long dead body is all." He picked up his bag and followed Andrew out. They knocked on Giles' door. He was already dressed and ready to leave. They walked down the stairs and out to the stables.  
  
"I think we should be riding for a little over six perhaps seven hours."  
  
"Good. The sooner we get to your home, the sooner we can start preparing." Said Andrew.  
  
"I need for you to show me how to get to this church, or chapel, whatever it is. You said there were some woods nearby?" asked Spike  
  
"Yes. The woods are quite dense. Not many people know how to travel through them. I have a small cottage hidden within them. I think once you have Buf.., the body you can go there. I will leave some lanterns burning in the windows, and directions of course." They reached the stables and got on their horses and started to ride out of London.  
  
Giles' home  
  
They stopped twice to rest the horses. They arrived in mid-afternoon. Spike looked around. Something inside of him told him he had seen this all before. It all seemed familiar to him.  
  
"This is beautiful. I think I can even hear the ocean in the distance." Andrew felt like he was in heaven. He had always wanted to live near the ocean. He thought this would be a wonderful place to live. They dismounted their horses and put them in the stables.  
  
"Please come this way." They followed Giles to the front of the house, and to the front doors. Upon stepping near the threshold Spike immediately felt that familiarity again. He saw the staircase at the end of the entrance hall. There were bedrooms up there he thought, and he somehow knew how to get to each and every one.  
  
Spike and Andrew followed Giles to a large library. The first thing Spike noticed was a very sweet and pretty young woman with red hair sitting next to a young man with dark brown hair. They had been laughing before the others entered the room and stopped abruptly when they noticed they were not alone. He saw the blush on the Willow's cheek and gave her a tiny smirk, which made her blush even more. Xander stood.  
  
"Xander Harris, Willow Rosenberg, this is Andrew Wells and William Boldhaus.  
  
"Spike." He rarely if ever used his real name, since he was a child. Yet Andrew always made introductions with it, so that lead others to do the same. He had taken to calling himself Spike when he was in the Worthington Academy for young men, after being given the name by a stranger in the woods. Xander approached both of them and extended his hand.  
  
"Its nice to meet you."  
  
"Pleasure, " said Andrew. Willow stood and also offered her hand to the two strangers.  
  
"Thank you both for coming and helping us." She said.  
  
"Think nothing of it." Spike took her hand and noticed her sweet smile. He also noticed red marks on her wrists. He knew instantly they were marks one got after being bound by a rope for a long period of time. They had not healed yet, so they were still new. He noted how shy she was, but there was warmth that radiated around her. She made him feel comfortable.  
  
After the introductions were made, they all sat down at the table and began to plan out what would happen that evening.  
  
Evening  
  
Giles had drawn a copy of the map Willow had been using for her locator spells. He drew a path from his home through the forest, leading to the chapel. Xander had gone to the cottage and just returned. He had taken two kerosene lanterns and lit them to make it easier for Spike to find the cottage in the darkness. Giles had given Spike directions, yet there was so much foliage surrounding the cottage, thus the light from the window would make it stand out.  
  
Andrew had been sitting towards the end of the table with Willow discussing his cloaking spell.  
  
"Its quite an easy spell. The only thing is once he is completely invisible and touches something solid he becomes visible. I can't seem to get past that obstacle." Said Andrew.  
  
"I think I saw something in some of the books Giles has in the second level that may help with that. We can try to work it out sometime. That is if you decide to stay a while."  
  
"I'd like that." Willow looked at Andrew and then down the table to Spike. They were certainly an odd pair. "So how is it that you and Spike do this kind of, um, work."  
  
Andrew looked down. He didn't like to discuss his past, especially with strangers. And he knew Spike would have a fit if he knew he was telling anyone about their past.  
  
"We just like to help people that's all. It's a hard world out there." He had hoped that would be explanation enough for hr, but apparently it wasn't.  
  
"How did you meet?" Willow knew he was hiding something. He did not look her in the eyes, and was growing visibly nervous. He decided to be honest, yet would only skim the top of their story.  
  
"Spike and I were once part of that hard world out there. We do this because maybe it will help us find some for of forgiveness for what we have done." He looked at her and she saw his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. These two men had done bad things. She did not go into his mind, but she felt it. She also felt they were good men.  
  
"I'm sure you'll find it. You both will." She smiled at him. They joined the others at the end of the table. It was getting late and Spike decided it was time for him to make his way to the chapel.  
  
Monday evening - Paris France  
  
Wesley's wound still had not healed. The blood was still seeping out but not as much as the day before. Faith had booked them passage on a ship leaving to England that evening.  
  
"Wesley, why won't it close?" she was replacing the earlier dressing she had put before she left. She was scared. This was not supposed to be happening. Vampires don't bleed like this. Their wounds heal within a matter of minutes, or at the very least a few hours, but this did not look any better than when it was first received. He winced as he put his jacket on.  
  
"It has to be the spear. It must be some mystical properties, the religious aspect of it, I don't know, I . I just don't know. But at least we have part of it. It may not be of any use to Angelus in its fragmented state."  
  
"No, I don't believe it can be. I imagine that means he will want that other half more than anything in this world though." she took the spear and placed it in her purse. She wanted it close to her. What ever was happening to Wesley was connected to the spear, and she could not take the chance of losing it.  
  
They boarded the ship early. Faith left Wesley in their cabin and went out to pub near the port. Wesley was not strong enough to feed, and she needed to do something to make sure he had a sufficient supply of blood for the voyage. She purchased a large jug filled with wine and walked out to the alley behind the pub. She emptied the contents of the jug in the alley and waited. Within five minutes she saw a man trying to rob an old gentleman. She came out of the shadows and pretended to have been tipsy. As the man ignored the older gentleman and started to walk toward her she steadied a knife in other right hand. He came nearer and she smiled. She kept the jug behind her in her left hand and sauntered toward the man.  
  
"I'm a bit lonely tonight. My husband left early this morning on a ship. He is going to be gone for such a long time." She said. Her words sounded like honey as she spoke them.  
  
"You'll be wantin' a man around you to keep you warm then?" he smelled of cheap tobacco and whiskey. She mesmerized him. Slowly she walked behind him and pressed her breast against his back. Just as he lifted his arms to reached around to touch her, she brought her right hand around and stabbed him in his neck, then brought the jug to the open cut to catch the now streaming blood. He struggled for a moment, and then began to fall. Faith kept hold of him as the blood flowed into the jug. She filled it completely, then capped it and walked out of the alley. Since she was behind him, she managed the whole operation without getting any blood on herself. As she boarded the ship one of the shipmates saw her walking to her cabin. She smiled.  
  
"My husband just loves this brand of wine." She opened the door went inside and locked them into the cabin until they would reach England.  
  
10:00 pm Giles' home  
  
Andrew was performing the spell to cloak Spike. It would take around 15 to 20 minutes for it to work, giving him time to take the shortcut through the forest and get to the chapel before he disappeared. He put on his long leather coat, with the mantle, and his hat, and picked up the map. He turned before he walked out.  
  
"I'll expect you then tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, tomorrow before the sun sets." Said Giles as Spike walked out. He got on his horse and rode into the night 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 22  
  
The rescue  
  
Spike rode into the forest. He was almost to the other side before he realized, he had not even needed the map Giles had given him. He could see the clearing just ahead and immediately knew that if he veered off to the left a bit he would wind up behind the chapel. This familiarity with everything was beginning to weigh on his mind, but he dismissed any thought other than those of the task ahead.  
  
He slowed his horse as he reached the chapel. Quickly he dismounted. He was at the rear, and as he started walking towards the front he looked down at his hands and could see the spell beginning to work. He picked up a rock just before he was completely cloaked. As he came to the front he saw the two large guards. He wished he had more time. He could have some fun, but he needed to get into the chapel.  
  
He looked up and saw a small panel of stained glass on the side of the door. He threw the rock and smashed the glass. The guards turned in the direction of the noise. They quickly opened the doors and rushed inside. Spike ran in behind them and hurried past them. The two men saw the rock on the floor.  
  
"There's someone out there." Said one of them.  
  
"You stay here, I'll go and ride around. Maybe I can find them. I didn't hear a horse, so they are on foot." The second guard ran out and rode away. The first guard stood and felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned only to feel Spikes fist fly into his face. He was out cold. The man never had a chance. Spike was fast, and he took well advantage of it. He ran up the aisle and to the alter.  
  
The moon was full, and the light was shining down just behind the alter. He looked and saw a side door. He ran out and took a blanket he had on his horse, and then went back inside. He could cover the body with it. It was bad enough he had to touch it, but there was no way he was going to look at a decaying corpse.  
  
He gave himself enough leverage, planted his feet firmly on the ground and pushed with every ounce strength he had and pushed the slab to one side. He managed about a three foot wide opening, it would have to be enough. He took the blanket and threw it over the body and picked it up. It was as light as a feather. He wondered if all corpses were this light. He placed it down on the floor and then went around and slid the lid back into place.  
  
He then picked the body up once more and went out the side door, and mounted his horse. He held the body close to him, not wanting to drop it. Corpse or not, he didn't want to mishandle it, that would be disrespectful, or bad luck or something. As he started to ride towards the woods he heard several horses approaching the front of the chapel.  
  
"Bugger", he pulled on the reigns and lightly kicked the sides of the horse and rode as fast as he could.  
  
In front of the chapel Ethan, Travis and Olaf had started to walk into the chapel. They noticed the doors opened. Ethan walked to the guard that was still unconscious.  
  
"Olaf, come help me." Ethan and Olaf ran to the alter and moved the lid. Ethan lit a candle and shone it inside. It was empty.  
  
"Dammit! They've taken her!" Ethan yelled throwing the candle to the ground.  
  
"Who?" asked Olaf.  
  
"The woman!" He grabbed Olaf by the arm and walked towards the door, where Travers was still standing. Come on, we have to get her back, or Angelus will have our heads." He ran out with the other two men following. They mounted their horses and Ethan started riding towards the back of the chapel.  
  
"They had to have gone this way."  
  
Elizabeth felt cold air all around her. She was having that dream again. He was riding with her in his arms. She felt his heat against her, and his scent was all around her. She felt herself moving; she felt the vibration of something underneath her. A horse? Was this real? Was this her dream? She tried to move, yet felt she should conserve her energy.  
  
Spike stopped his horse for a moment. He looked down at the bundle he was carrying on his lap. Did it just move? He shook his head and started the horse up once more. He looked around. Somehow he knew where he was going. Now he was really starting to wonder what the hell was going on. Why did he know all of this; these woods, this body, this situation and then just in front of him, the cottage.  
  
She felt herself being carried. A door opened and then closed, and she was being carried up stairs. Then someone was gently placing her on a soft surface.  
  
He sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a soft light coming from the lantern near the window. He took hold of the blanket and started to pull it away, when he heard a pounding on the door. He got up from the bed closed the bedroom door and looked down over the narrow balcony. He thought perhaps Giles had decided to meet him now instead of waiting for tomorrow. He walked down the stairs and as he reached the bottom, he lit the lantern that hung form the corner of the ceiling just at the bottom of the stairs. He walked across the smaller room, out to the front room of the cottage. The pounding grew louder. He approached the door cautiously. He pulled the door latch back, and the door flew open. A large man came through and grabbed Spike by the neck and threw him hard against the wall. Ethan walked in with Travers following behind.  
  
"Well, well, look who we have found." Ethan was smiling, "Spike. You were quite literally the last person in the world I expected to see here." Spike tried to focus. Olaf had knocked the wind out of him, and his head hit the wall hard. After a moment, he realized who it was.  
  
"Good on you then." Spike struggled underneath Olaf's grasp. He was caught by surprise, and had to get his bearings again. And of course it didn't help that Olaf's huge hands were getting tighter around his neck.  
  
"This is turning into quite a night. Now I can take back two things you have stolen from me." Ethan stepped closer to Spike. "First, where is the locket."  
  
"Sod off Pillock!" Spike kicked at Ethan and caught him in the balls. Ethan doubled over in pain. Olaf punched Spike across the face, leaving his lip open and bloody. Travers moved towards Ethan and helped his straighten up. Ethan merely laughed.  
  
"I was going to kill you quickly, however now I think I'll just cut your balls off and watch you bleed to death instead. Travers, go up and see if she is there." Travers moved quickly. He ran up the stairs and opened the door to the room. He swung the door back and closed it behind him slightly. He saw a body wrapped in a blanket on the bed.  
  
She heard someone approach. There had been a scuffle downstairs, and by now she had figured out the name of her rescuer to be Spike. She had picked up on his scent, and she knew that the person approaching her now was not him. Spike smelled of leather, sandalwood and a hint of tobacco, the same kind her father had used.  
  
She felt the hunger inside of her taking over. She was ravenous. She had not known how long she had been in that alter. It had seemed like forever to her. The demon inside of her was still strong, and there was a desperation to feed that overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes under the blanket and waited for his approached one more. Her timing was of the utmost importance.  
  
Travers walked to the bed. His curiosity got the better of him. He reached down to uncover the body, when the light of the lantern went out. Elizabeth took that as her queue. She threw off the blanket and grabbed him by the throat with one hand.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat." She pulled him down to her and bit into him. She drank him down quickly. So desperate was her need for blood that she held him so tightly she broke his ribs. She could feel her body come to life once more. The blood was coursing through her veins. She felt warm, and strong, and still so very hungry. Downstairs Ethan was growing impatient with Spike and Travers.  
  
"Travers what the bloody hell is taking you so long! Get down her now!" Travers' body came crashing down on top of the table, and snuffed out the candle that was lighting the room. Ethan moved aside quickly, and Olaf was so surprised that he released Spike, who had fallen on his knees and was now grabbing his own neck, and coughing. The room was dark, except for the soft pale moonlight coming in from the front window and some light coming from the other room. Spike heard someone jump from the balcony down and land behind Ethan. He lifted his head and saw the shadow of someone standing behind the other man.  
  
"Jesus, what the hell happened to him?" screamed Olaf. He was paralyzed, he couldn't move. Elizabeth grabbed Ethan by the neck and bit into his him. This buffet would certainly quell the hunger she had inside of her, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Spike scrambled away from the mayhem in the room and crawled to the other room. Along the way he grabbed the bag he had dropped on the way in, and took out a crossbow, and some arrows. He quickly moved to the corner and sat underneath the light and tried desperately to load the crossbow. He could hear a gurgling sound, and then a body falling on the floor. Then he heard the sound of Olaf whimpering, and pleading for his life. Then a crack, more gurgling, another thud and then silence.  
  
He began to hear a pounding sound in his ears, and realized it was his heart. His breathing was becoming hard and heavy. He managed to load one arrow, and held out the crossbow with trembling hands.  
  
There were so few things in this world that frightened him and he had not remembered being this afraid since he was a child, that night he had tried running away. But there was something there now, in the room with him, something that had killed three large and tough men, as though it were killing flies trapped in honey. And now it was moving towards him.  
  
He saw the figure outlined in the doorway. There was a soft pale blue light surrounding it. Slowly it approached him. The footsteps were light, and almost predatory. Spike swallowed hard and readied himself for the monster that was approaching him. It stopped just three feet in front of him. He could see only to the knees, and then it crouched down.  
  
"You should be careful where you point that. Someone could get hurt." She said. The sight of her shocked him. Two things came to his mind at that moment. One was how beautiful this woman was. She was small, with golden hair, and the face of an angel. And two, that this angel was covered in the blood of the men who wanted to cut his balls off and watch him bleed to death. She had blood on her mouth, down her chin, and all over her neck. He wondered if her blouse had been red to begin with or if perhaps it was the blood her very recent victims.  
  
"Who are you?" Spike still held the crossbow in front of him. Elizabeth reached out and lightly pushed it way from her. He looked at the crossbow and then put it down next to him.  
  
"I'm Buffy. Who are you?" She wanted to make sure she had heard his name correctly.  
  
"Spike." He studied her closely and raised his eyebrow, "You wouldn't by any chance happen to be the dead body I just put upstairs?" She smiled at him, happy that his fear seemed to have subsided.  
  
"Yes, I would happen to be." She stood up and held her hand out to him. He looked up at her and accepted her offer of assistance, and stood up. He still only saw her in the pale light, yet he knew that she was beautiful. "Do you now what I am?"  
  
"I have an idea." He said and nodded.  
  
"My friends didn't tell you I was a vampire?"  
  
"No, it seems Mr. Giles left out that minor, yet rather important detail."  
  
"Who were those men?" she asked as she turned to look at her victims. He looked at her, smiled and tilted his head to one side.  
  
"Bite first and ask questions later ay pet?" He had stopped shaking, having by now realized that she was only going for the three course meal this night. Had she wanted him dead, he would have been so by now.  
  
"I somehow got the impression they were not friends."  
  
"They were old associates you might say." He walked to the bodies, "No matter, they won't be missed."  
  
"Good. I suppose we should get them out of here. Help me get them on the horses." Spike looked at her.  
  
"We have to bury them, not take them out for an evening stroll luv."  
  
"I plan to bury them. Just not here. If the bodies are found I don't want anyone to find this cottage. Its been hidden away in here for many years." Spike picked up Ethan and Elizabeth picked up Travers. They both picked up Olaf, him being the size of two men put together. Once they were secured on the horses, Elizabeth mounted Spikes horse.  
  
"Please, stay here. It won't take me very long. There is a well around the side and some wood. Can you make a warm bath for me?" she looked down at her bloodied clothes, "I must look a fright." She smiled at him and rode away, with the three bodies in tow. 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Spike found the well along with wood for the fire on the side of the cottage. He set off to clearing up the mess inside and readying a bath for Elizabeth.  
  
She rode for about twenty minutes and found an area with soft ground. She started digging with her hands. The holes were deep enough for each man to be fully covered. If by chance they were to become exposed, there were plenty of animals that would consider them a nice meal. She got back on her horse. By now she was filthy. She rode back hoping Spike had that warm bath waiting for her.  
  
"Mmm, Spike." She said to herself. The light in the cottage had been very minimal, yet her vision was enhanced for seeing in the dark, and she got a good look at him, even though she wanted a better look, with more light. She could still tell he was very handsome. Even though she had just met him, she felt comfortable, and it seems he did with her as well. He was frightened of her at first, but then felt as ease even though he knew she was a vampire. She thought of the ride to the cottage on his horse, and of him taking her up to the room and placing her on the bed. She realized that it was her dream, all over again. She thought it was a dream before, because she had dreamed of him some many times lying in that alter. No, it couldn't be, she thought. Happenstance, she thought, that's what it was.  
  
Spike had cleared the mess. The table had a leg broken off, but he had pushed it against a corner wall and shoved the broken leg underneath it so that it would stand again. He had lit the lantern in the bedroom again and placed the small candle in the window. The hearth was ablaze with the fire he had lit earlier, and there was one last pot waiting to be warmed for the bathwater. He sat in a chair in front of the fire. He held the locket in his hands and smiled as he looked at the picture.  
  
"Well, Ethan got what he had comin' ay little bit? Killed your mum and dad, now he's dead." He sighed and closed the locket "Guess we all get what's comin' to us sooner or later." He heard the horse outside and put the locket back in the pocket of his coat. Elizabeth opened the door and walked inside.  
  
"I gather you'll be wanting that bath now?" he asked as he stood. She closed the door.  
  
"Yes. I think a bath would be good right now."  
  
"I found some thick cotton sheets upstairs, you can dry yourself with those. I only found men's clothes in the bureau though."  
  
"Those are my clothes. As you can see." She pointed out to him her present wardrobe. He hadn't noticed it before, but she was wearing men's clothes.  
  
"Sorry, didn't notice, what with everything else goin' on. I'll go outside and let you." she took a step toward him.  
  
"No." she said quickly, "Please, I would love some company. If you don't mind." She walked past him and began to unbutton her shirt. He looked back at her and turned his back once he realized she was undressing. He smiled at the fact she had not bothered to ask him not to look. She had taken off her shirt and was starting to take her pants off when she realized that she had never asked about Willow. "Spike, have you seen Willow? Is she all right? Giles got her out didn't he?" She was by now turned to him, and slightly smiled when she saw he had his back turned to her.  
  
Spike was confused. Where was it Giles was supposed to have gotten Willow out of, and what had been wrong with her? He thought back and remembered the marks on Willows wrists. Apparently Elizabeth being a vampire wasn't all Giles had not informed him about. There was more to all of this, and he decided that he wanted to find out the whole story.  
  
"Willow? The cute little redhead?"  
  
"Yes, is she all right?"  
  
"She looked fine when I saw her this evening."  
  
"Thank God!" she continued undressing. "Do you by chance know how long I was in that alter?"  
  
"I don't know. You can ask Giles when he comes for you tomorrow." He heard her getting into the water.  
  
"You can turn around if you like." She dunked her head into the water, and then came back up. Spike took the chair he had been sitting on before she came in and moved it back near the table and sat down facing her.  
  
He watched her rub the soap into her hands to form lather. He could feel himself grow hard and had to shift a bit in his chair. The water just barely covered her nipples. When she moved he could see her breasts entirely. He wondered if she realized that was happening, then laughed to himself.  
  
"Are you laughing at me?" Elizabeth looked up at him.  
  
"No." He said still smiling.  
  
"Then what's so funny?"  
  
"I've just decided that you are taking a bit too much pleasure having me watch you bathe." He tilted his head. A habit of his she had begun to find quite pleasing among other things. She felt something stirring in her belly. It was an excitement she had never felt before. He had a power over her in the way he looked at her, just as she also had power over him at this moment, and she loved it. She looked in his eyes. The way he watched her as she ran the sponge over her arm, and her shoulders. There was a tingling inside of her womb. His heart was beating so hard she could hear it from across the room. She had never been with a man in the intimate sense. Angelus was the only man to have ever been bold enough to approach her, but she never let him touch her, not as lovers do, then again, not even as non-lovers do.  
  
He stared at her from across the room. God he wanted her. He knew what she was. He was no stranger to vampires, he knew what sort of creatures some of them could be. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to move such thoughts away from his mind. 'Try to be a gentleman, Spike," he thought to himself. When he opened them again, he saw Elizabeth standing. The light from the fire shone on her wet naked body making her skin glow in a golden amber radiance.  
  
"Christ." He mumbled to himself. She heard him and smiled. He was paralyzed, he could not move.  
  
"Will you hand me something to dry myself with?" she said. Spike blinked, jolted from his spell and took one of the soft sheets and held it out open for her. She stepped out of the metal tub and into the sheet. She put her arms on his shoulders to steady herself, and looked into his eyes, and saw that they were blue. Was this him?  
  
He held the sheet open for her. His eyes never left hers. Slowly she stepped out of the tub, and placed her hands on his shoulders. He wrapped the sheet around her and inhaled the scent that came from her wet skin. She smelled of vanilla. Was this her?  
  
They both just stood there looking into each other's eyes. His heart skipped a beat. Elizabeth could not bring herself to move. Spike started to feel lightheaded. His mind was filled with images from his dreams. Was this the woman that had inundated his dreams? He wrapped his arms closer around her and leaned his head down and kissed her lips. Yes, this was her.  
  
She welcomed his kiss. His lips were warm and soft and she knew this was the man who had visited her in her dreams. She had kissed his lips so many times, yet this time, it was real. She put her arms around his neck. He grabbed her around her by the waist and placed his arm under her legs and picked up off the cold floor. 'gentleman be damned.'  
  
He looked at her as though waiting for her to protest; yet she never did. He moved quickly out to the next room, up the stairs and into the bedroom. He walked to the bed and once again, placed her gently on the bed. He stood back and slowly pulled the sheet off of her body. She lay naked on the bed staring at him as he looked at her.  
  
She looked at him drink her in. She felt the cool air against her damp skin. It excited her to no end seeing what she was doing to him. She could see he was breathing heavily, and could hear his heart beating faster than ever now. He began to undress. He took his jacket off, then his shirt. He tossed it to one side and she drew in a deep breath. He looked like a statue she had seen as a child. But he was real, and he was by far more perfect than that statue. His chest and stomach were well defined. Yes, he was perfect. He undid his belt and pushed his pants off releasing his now fully erect penis. She had never seen a naked man and her eyes opened wide as she saw his cock spring from the confines of his pants. She wondered if it would even fit inside of her. As many times as she imagined what a man could look like in this state, she never imagined this would be so large. She looked at his face and saw he had a slight smirk, and turned away from him, embarrassed he had caught her looking. He knelt down and slowly lay down next to her.  
  
"I.. I've never been with a man." She was terrified. She put her arms on his chest. She wanted this; she wanted him desperately, God he was so warm. She was afraid of so many things. She did not know how to touch a man the way he would like, or how he would feel, what she needed to do. "I don't know what to do." He put his fingers to her lips.  
  
"Shh" he kissed her softly and ran his hand down her face, to her neck and down to her breast. He squeezed her breast softly, and took her nipples in- between his fingers. He looked at her and she could see his eyes glistening. "I've loved you so many times in my dreams." He kissed her again, "Let me show you." 


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME. I had to tone this version down a bit. If you want the NC-17 version please email me.  
  
Chapter 24  
  
She ran her hands up to his shoulder and then behind his head pulling him closer to her.  
  
"I've waited so long for you," She felt a tear fall down her cheek and he kissed it away, "I knew you would come for me someday." He moved his body on top of her and surrounded her with his warmth. She parted her legs slightly and he settled down in between her. Their kissed grew more fevered with each passing moment. She felt him hard pressing against her stomach.  
  
He moved himself down her body. He kissed her neck, and nipped at her collarbone, then kissed the valley in-between her breasts and took each one into his hand. He glided his tongue to one of her breasts and carefully licked it. He took it into his mouth and suckled it until it was red and hard and tingling. She moaned and arched into him, as he pulled at her nipple with his teeth and tugged them gently upward, this action made her shiver and she could feel her inner muscles throbbing with each pull. He kissed in between her breasts once more and then ran a trail of kisses down to her stomach, stopping briefly to lick around her belly button.  
  
Spike lifted his head and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and she was licking her lips. He bent his head back down and pushed himself further down, parting her legs further along the way and caressed the inside of her thighs. He could smell the musky scent of her arousal.  
  
Her head was spinning. There were so many new sensations she had never imagined feeling before. So many times she had kissed him in her dreams, so many times he had loved her but not like this, this was real, this was now. His tongue made its way down to her and he felt the coolness inside of her. She bucked her hips and opened her eyes. She looked down at him and raised herself slightly on her elbows. He was looking up at her, licking her slowly up and down, then thrust his tongue into her. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth to let out a satisfying moan.  
  
"Uhh, ohh.. yes." She whispered as she fell back fully on the bed. Breathing heavily now, her hips began undulating against his mouth, driving herself into his face. He didn't need to ask if she liked what he was doing, her actions spoke volumes. Hhe needed to be inside of her desperately.  
  
He moved back up her body and devoured her lips with his kisses. He lay fully on top of her and positioned himself at her opening. He looked into her eyes then kissed her softly on her cheeks then her lips. She put her hands on the small of his back and opened her legs to fully accommodate his body. He entered her slowly and she felt the pressure of him gaining entrance, making his way deep into her, and then stop.  
  
"This will hurt a bit luv." He whispered in her ear, and felt her nod, then thrust himself fully into her. She dug her nails into his back as she felt the fiery pain of him completely filling her.  
  
She took in a deep breath. Her eyes were closed tightly and there were tears streaming down her face. He waited to give her time to adjust to him, to get past the pain and also because he felt that if he even moved an inch this moment would last just that a moment. This needed to last, this was heaven, and he wanted to stay forever. He wanted to feel her like this for as long as he could. He stroked the side of her face with his thumbs, and kissed her eyelids once again.  
  
He felt her body relax and began to move into her slowly, at first, then a little faster with each thrust. Her hands ran up and down his back finally stopping on his firm ass.  
  
"Buffy." The way he said her name was the most erotic thing she had ever heard, and his voice excited her even more than she thought she could possibly get. There was a force building inside of her. She could feel something stirring, wanting to come out. 'No,' she thought, 'God not now'. She felt the demon wanting to push its way out, wanting to make its presence known. She wanted to give in to the pleasure, but she could feel it surfacing, wanting to take over. Wesley had warned against this, against letting it overcome her will. She had learned to control it, but this was different. This was passion she had never known. Something she didn't know how she was going to control.  
  
Spike lifted himself and knelt in front of her. He took her by the waist and lifted her slightly to place a pillow underneath her and began enter her faster and harder. She was so close; he could feel her inner walls twitching with each thrust, yet she held back. He could see her struggling. Her head moved from side to side, shifting from human to demon as she protested. He now understood why she hesitated. He remembered the first vampire he saw as a child. He saw the demon first, before the vampire drew it back. There was a demon inside of her now struggling to get loose, the demon he had felt yet not seen downstairs. He slid an arm around her waist. His movements became faster.  
  
"Let me see it." He said. She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear and horror as she realized what he was asking her to do.  
  
"No, I.I can't, ugh, oh God Spike, no.. I'll kill you." She tried to scramble away from him yet he held her against him, "I mustn't.. I.. can't.. control it.. no please no." she could feel the her peak closing in. She couldn't believe what he was doing to her. What if she couldn't control it, what if it took her over and then she couldn't come back from it?  
  
"Buffy." He said in low thick tone, "Let it go." He braced himself, and she let go. She gave in and let loose the demon. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she pushed herself up to face him. She grabbed him by the shoulders and stared into his deep blue eyes with narrowed yellow slits of fire. As her orgasm reached its peak she let out a loud growl, and rocked hard into him. Her lips receded to show her fangs, and to her surprise he never lost his rhythm. He smiled and leaned his forehead onto hers.  
  
"I've got you kitten, he whispered, "I've got you" she closed her eyes. She let out a low growl, that he felt vibrate within her chest and against his cock. By now he held her by the waist with both hands and moved her against him slowly. He kissed her lips, and then moved down to her neck. She threw her head back and continued to follow his pace holding him closer to her. He was soothing her, calming the fury inside of her. He was claiming her demon, making it desire him and it was letting him be her master.  
  
Her climax had subsided and she leaned back and got the leverage she needed to flip them over. He was on his back and she straddled him. She could kill him so easily at this moment. She continued to look at him. His eyes tore deep into hers as he placed his hands on her breasts and squeezed them lightly. She drew back the demon and he could see her beautiful human face once again. She moved on top of him slowly, languishing in the feeling of the heat inside of her. God he was on fire she thought. He had such power over her now. She felt him burning a path into her. A path that even if this did not last beyond tonight, she would allow no other man to take as long as she existed. He was beginning to moan louder, his breathing now quickening, he was close, so close she could feel it inside of her.  
  
She moved faster now, grinding into him harder and harder, she clenched her inner muscles and she felt the volcanic explosion of his orgasm as he shot his warm fluid inside of her. He threw his head back and held tightly onto her hips, then gave into his own passion.  
  
"Buffy, don't stop, yes.. uh.. yes.." He sat up and wrapped his arms around her and drew her further into him. He kissed and bit her neck with blunt teeth, then threw her back down to the bed on her back. He thrust into her mercilessly, as his orgasm melted away slowly. She put her feet onto the bed for leverage and met his thrusts, until she felt another orgasm building inside of her.  
  
"Keep it back now luv. Come for me, I want to see your face this time Buffy." he kissed her softly, and ran his tongue along her lips, "Don't be afraid." He slowed his movements. She moaned deeply as she ran her hands up his back and through his hair. His words gave her strength, he had given her demon its pleasure, and now it was her turn. 


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME. I had to tone this version down a bit. If you want the NC-17 version please email me.  
  
Chapter 25  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Morning came and Spike began to slowly wake up. At one point in the night he had woken up abruptly and gotten terribly nervous when he realized that Elizabeth was not breathing. Then remembered that she didn't need to breath. Elizabeth lay spooned in front of him facing the wall. He pulled her closer to him, feeling her cool body against him, and chucked thinking how squeamish he had earlier felt at the thought of having a dead body so close to him. Then felt slight warmth on his back and opened his eyes to see the room slowly being bathed in light.  
  
"Bollocks!" he frantically pulled the covers over her. Elizabeth jumped.  
  
"Spike, what's wrong?" she began to push the covers away from her.  
  
"Don't," he slapped her hands away and tucked the covers under her, "the sun. It's coming in through the windows."  
  
"Oh God, pull the curtains, hurry." She fidgeted underneath the covers trying to make sure there was no room for light to come through. Spike jumped out of the bed and pulled the curtains across the window. He made sure that there were no openings from which even so much as a sliver of light could come through.  
  
"Are they closed?" she asked shakily from inside her cocoon. She felt the mattress shift as he climbed into bed with her.  
  
"I'm sorry," he pulled the covers away and she put her hand on his chest. His heart was pounding furiously inside his chest, "I'm so sorry." He took her into his arms and held her tightly, "I should have been more careful."  
  
"Its all right. It's not your fault. Nothing happened, I'm all right." she cradled him in her arms.  
  
"What if you'd had been sleeping near the window? God Buffy. I don't know what I would have done if I had woken up and you.." His voiced trailed off, not wanting to even finish saying what he was thinking. He nestled his head into her neck, as she ran her fingers through his hair, soothing him. His hand roamed up the side of her body and rested on her breast. He kissed her neck, and she could feel his hot breath against her. Warming her, making her wet once again. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.  
  
"You've been haunting me for so long. So close to me," he kissed her lips softly, "I would touch you, kiss you, feel myself inside of you, and then you would be gone." His tongue traced her lips, "I feel you Buffy." He shifted his weight and was on top of her, "I feel you inside my soul." She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt him enter her again.  
  
"Ah." She moaned into his neck as he thrust into her. He felt the coolness within her and knew he could never live without feeling this sensation every day of his life.  
  
They stared into each other's eyes, breathing each other in, feeling their bodies melt into one. He couldn't get close enough to her. God, he wanted to crawl inside of her and disappear. She consumed him, nothing existed before this. He began to question if he even existed before this moment?  
  
She felt him inside of her like warm velvet rubbing inside of her. Her mind was like a boat adrift the sea, letting the waves take it wherever it wanted. She had surrendered herself to him completely. He had tamed her demon, and there was nothing it would not do for him.  
  
They held each other and moved in a slow rhythmic pace.  
  
"Stay with me." She whispered in his ear. He leaned his head down and placed his mouth on her breast and suckled her nipple.  
  
"Are you a witch too Buffy?" He asked. She laughed softly.  
  
"Why do you ask me that?"  
  
"You must have cast a love spell on me?"  
  
"Would it be so bad if I did?"  
  
"No. Promise me to never break it, because I think I would die if I could never be with you again."  
  
They moved against each other faster, and harder as they felt their orgasms building. They hit the peak together. In silence they moved against each other, calming and soothing one another until they settled down still wrapped around each other.  
  
They spent that day in bed. Sometimes they made love, and sometimes they clawed and pounded into each other like wild animals and then in-between they slept.  
  
As she lay atop him, with her head on his chest, he played with her hair. Wondering at the silky texture of it. She kissed him lightly and stroked him softly with her cool hands.  
  
"Spike."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"How is it that you weren't afraid of me?"  
  
"What's that pet?" he was lost in the feel of her hair and he hadn't really heard her question.  
  
"I said, how is it that you weren't afraid of me?"  
  
"Are you kidding? You scared the piss out of me down there." She laughed into his stomach.  
  
"No, I meant when I showed you what I become, what I am. How did you know that would happen, how did you know what I have inside of me?"  
  
"Oh." He pulled her up to him and they lay together side by side, "Well, you see, your not the first vampire I've ever seen. I know a bit about that demon you got inside you." He smiled at her and she smiled back.  
  
"Tell me. I want to know." She was eager to learn more about him, more about his life, his past and how much he knew about her kind.  
  
"Last vampire I saw was a couple of years ago. Andrew and I were runnin' away from an awfully brassed off fellow tryin' to blow our brains out. We got into these caves and ran into the bugger." He chuckled, "Almost took a chunk out of poor Andrew." He started laughing harder now, "I shouldn't laugh, the poor little guy, never saw him so scared."  
  
"Who's Andrew?" God how handsome he was when he laughed, she thought as she looked at him.  
  
"He's my partner, well more like my friend really." He held her close, wondering how honest he should be about his past. It would not be good to hide things; that was no way to start a relationship, if that's what this was going to be. "We used to work with the men you killed last night." She looked at him with furrowed brows.  
  
"Spike, what kind of work did you do with men like that?" 


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 26  
  
"I'm not a saint Buffy. I've done things in my life I wish to God I could undo. But I'm not that man anymore." He traced her jaw line with his fingers, "I've changed. Andrew and I have a lot to answer for."  
  
She felt sadness inside of him; she saw it in his eyes.  
  
"When did you see the first?"  
  
"First what?"  
  
"Vampire, we were talking about vampires." He smiled and welcomed the change of subject which he suspected she had done on purpose.  
  
"I think I was seven maybe eight, I can't remember. My parents had just died. My father was German, and my mum was English. We were living in Germany, that's where they died. I don't really know what happened to them, I was too young. I was sent to a boy's school until they could get hold of an uncle I had here in England." He looked pained, as though the subject of his uncle held another tragedy in his life. "So it was while I was at the that place where I met up with the vampire."  
  
FLASHBACK - Germany - 16 years earlier  
  
He was running into the woods. It had been too much for a seven year old to take. His parents had been killed six months earlier, and his uncle in England could not be located. He had been living in what to him was a hell on earth called Hofsburg-Akademie für Jungen (Hofsburg Academy for boys). A hell that he had to get a way from. The moon was bright and able to light his way. As he ran he stopped abruptly as two men jump out into the road in front of him. They started to come after him when suddenly another man jumped behind them. He took the first man and broke his neck. He looked at William who was looking at him in horror. It was a monster in the form of a man. The stranger went after the other man and tackled him to the ground. William heard a growl and then a gurgling sound. The stranger looked at William and started walking towards him. As fast as he could William turned and ran but tripped over his own feet and fell, hitting his head on a rock. His left brow was bleeding and he began to cry. When he turned to look behind him he saw a man standing just above him.  
  
"Hello there young master. That's quite a cut you have there. Here let me help you up." The stranger helped William up and dusted the dirt off of his pants. He looked at the bleeding brow, "I think your going to have a nasty scar there." He smiled at the boy as he straightened up, "What are you doing walking alone in these woods at this hour?"  
  
"I.I'm leaving." He said staring at the stranger in confusion. He was no longer a monster; he had the face of a man. He wasn't sure if it was the same person, but it had to be since there was no one else around.  
  
"Leaving? Leaving what, that school?" asked the stranger as he pointed to the huge building, with flying buttresses, and ivy growing up the sides.  
  
"Yes." Said William.  
  
"Why?" the stranger looked at him with his head cocked to the side.  
  
"Because they hate me. They laugh at me and hit me." He had tears in his eyes.  
  
"Who, the other boys?" William nodded. "Well now. That simply will not do, master.what is your name?"  
  
"William. William Boldthaus."  
  
"Boldthous?" He knelt down to meet the boys eyes. "Do you know that your name means house of the bold one?" The boy shook his head. "Where are your parents master William?"  
  
"They died. My mum has," he caught himself, "had a brother in England but they can't find him." he wiped the tears from his eyes as he cried.  
  
"There, there now little one. I know it is difficult to be alone. But you must be brave." He hugged the little boy until the sobbing stopped. Then he pulled away form him. "Now listen to me. Life is not easy, for one who has suffered as you." The man looked at the boy and smiled, "I am going to show you what to do the next time those boys try to laugh at you and try to hit you. Would you like that?" He nodded. "But first lets start by wiping this blood off of our eyebrow, and giving you a name that will make them shake with fear."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Hmm," the stranger thought and looked at William, "have you ever seen a porcupine William?"  
  
"Yes in picture books. They look a bit scary." His voice was low, he sounded too sad and tired for someone as young as him.  
  
"Yes they do. You see they have those spikes on their body so that the other animals are afraid of them and stay away. And you remind me of one, with your hair sticking up like that." The man ran his hand across the boys hair. It was cut so short by the schoolmasters that it stuck up like a porcupine.  
  
"I like that, yes, I like it very much." Said William enthusiastically, now sounding like a boy should.  
  
"Now, give me your hand." He took the boys hand and made him form a fist. "The next time someone makes you feel badly, you hit them very hard with this." He held his fist in front of him. "Can you do that?"  
  
William nodded and the stranger walked him back to the school.  
  
"Will I see you again?"  
  
"Yes, tomorrow come to me right over there in the same spot." He smiled and disappeared.  
  
The next day William was in the dining hall carrying tray with soup and bread. A boy named Warren Mears, who had taken upon himself to make Williams life a living hell saw him coming and immediately stuck his foot out in front of him and made him trip. All the boys started laughing. William had had enough. He remembered what the stranger showed him got up and looked at Warren.  
  
"What's the matter Miss William? You parents did not teach you how to walk properly? Oh that's right, they died because they were so tired of dealing with you they just killed themselves." He said laughing.  
  
"My parents loved me." William channeled all of his anger into his arm, this was it, "Stop laughing at me. From now on you call me Spike and you're not going to laugh at me anymore" William felt the rage build. He had taken enough of their abuse. He curled his fist like the stranger showed him and with all his might punched Warren so hard he fell back over the table and fell on the other side. No one would laugh William again.  
  
That night he went to where he had met the stranger.  
  
"Hello. Hello Sir? Where are you?" He turned as he heard rustling in the bushes behind him.  
  
"Well? Did you do as I told you?"  
  
"Yes, yes I did. And now everyone wants to be my friend. They are all afraid of me, and some of them have even started calling me Spike." He ran to the stranger and hugged him. "Thank you."  
  
"I am glad Will.. I mean Spike." He pulled away and looked at the boy. "Do you know what I am?" he asked.  
  
"I know you are not like me. Yesterday when you were hurting those men, your eyes were yellow, and your face was bumpy and you had long sharp teeth."  
  
"Yes that's correct. I am a vampire. Spike you should not walk these woods alone, ever at night. There are many things in this world that want to hurt you, and you mustn't make it so easy for them. Now go. Go and live your life like a brave young man, and never let anyone hurt you again."  
  
"I want to go with you." He walked to the man.  
  
"I'm sorry, little one, I can't take you with me. I walk in a dangerous world, and I cannot make you part of it."  
  
"Will I ever see you again?"  
  
"Perhaps someday." he started to walk away.  
  
"But, where are you going? Please can't you stay here with me? Everyone always leaves me." He dropped his head and looked at the ground. The stranger knelt down in front of him.  
  
"I have to leave Spike." The man felt a tinge of sorrow for the lonely young boy. "Why don't we do something special? Give me your arm." Spike gave the stranger his arm, and the man took it into his hand. He then pulled a knife and Spike looked at him frightened, "Don't be afraid I won't hurt you. We are about to become like family you and I." The man made a cut into Spikes arm, then cut his own arm and put them together.  
  
"Can you feel it Spike? Do you feel our blood becoming one?" asked the man with a smile. Spike felt a tingling in his arm. It ran down to his legs, shooting up his torso, to his shoulders and into his brain. His whole body burned.  
  
"What happened? I feel hot and my body tickles." This made the stranger laugh.  
  
"I told you, we are family now. And we will see each other again one day my young master. Family is never gone forever." The stranger stood up and walked away. Before he disappeared into the woods he turned to look at Spike.  
  
"Good-bye little one." Said the stranger as he turned and walked into the woods.  
  
"Good-bye." He whispered as the man left.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"You have vampire blood inside of you?" She looked at his forearm and traced the faint scar. "That must have changed you."  
  
"It did. I was never the same after that. I think I went down that dark path because of it. From that moment, I had this uncontrollable urge to cause destruction and chaos everywhere I went. I didn't know how to control it. Then a few years ago, it just felt so wrong." Elizabeth looked up at him. "I had always known it was wrong, but, just never cared. But it began to weigh on me. Then a couple of months ago something happened, and that was it. I knew I couldn't live like that anymore," She had become acutely aware of his mood changes in their short time together, and felt the sadness in him once again.  
  
He turned to look towards the window; Elizabeth had also heard the sound. He got out of bed and carefully moved the curtains to one side. He saw Giles and Xander approaching on their horses. He looked at her.  
  
"Looks like we lost track of time pet. Its Giles and Red's boyfriend."  
  
"What? Red? You mean Willow? She doesn't have a boyfriend." Said Elizabeth as she sat up in bed. Spike bent down and picked up his pants and started to put them on.  
  
"Well they looked quite cozy yesterday. Xander is it?" He then picked up his shirt and put it on.  
  
"Xander? My God, how long was I in that alter?" 


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 27  
  
Spike walked out of the room and down the stairs. Giles had been knocking for only a few moments when Spike answered the door.  
  
"Good afternoon." Said Giles as he walked in followed by Xander.  
  
"Spike." Xander walked past him and looked at the tub in front of the Hearth. It was filled with water. When he left the previous day it had been empty.  
  
"Did everything go as planned?" asked Giles as he looked down and noticed blood spats on the floor.  
  
"For the most part." Spike closed the door and approached Giles, his thumbs were hooked into the loop in his pants, and his shirt was still opened. Clearly he had just woken up thought Giles. "Giles, was there something you neglected to tell me about the young lady?"  
  
Giles noticed that he had said "young lady" and not corpse as he had the day before. Giles took his glasses off and began cleaning them nervously.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that perhaps she was not as dead as you may have said." Spike stopped in front of him and stared him in the eyes. "Bloody hell, why the fuck didn't you tell me she was a vampire?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I.I"  
  
"Didn't think it was worth mentioning?" Spike tilted his head and looked as annoyed as possible.  
  
"Well, no." he put his glasses back on and put his hands in his pockets turning around to face the hearth. "Spike, I'm sorry, but there was.. is a situation that made it difficult for me to tell you the truth."  
  
"And what would that situation be? A man puts his life on the line to help someone, he expects some honesty."  
  
"Would you have believed me? Would you have gotten her out of there?"  
  
"I been around mate, I know what vampires are, I would have believed you. And yes I would have gotten her out of there."  
  
"Then why are so upset?"  
  
"I'm upset because I don't like to work with people who don't trust me is all." Spike was angry and Giles saw it in his face.  
  
"It doesn't unsettle you that she is a vampire?" Giles found it odd that the fact Spike was more upset about not having them trust him than Elizabeth being a vampire. Anyone else would have been running for the hills, as a matter of fact anyone else would have been up the hill and halfway across England the moment they found a vampire in the same house.  
  
"I don't give a piss about that." Spike walked away from Giles leaving him in utter shock. Xander caught Spike by the arm before he went up the stairs.  
  
"Spike, we're sorry. We should have been more forthcoming, but there was no time, not to mention the situation. There's a lot that has happened to Buffy, we need to be careful of who we trust, who we bring into this." Spike's face softened. He gave Xander a nod of understanding and continued up to the room. Elizabeth had been dressed and sitting on the bed.  
  
"Spike, they did it to protect me." She stood and walked to him the minute he walked in.  
  
"You heard?"  
  
"Part of being a vampire. Enhanced hearing and vision." she wrapped her arms around his waist kissed him lightly. He in turn wrapped his arms around her and drew her into his body. She felt him stir against her crotch and smiled into his kiss. Spike pulled back and looked at her pretending to be angry.  
  
"Stop that. I'm angry and you're makin' me, well not so angry."  
  
"I'm only kissing you."  
  
"Mmm, that's all it takes kitten." He kissed her once more. She pulled away from him and smiled.  
  
"We had better get going." She started to walk out with him behind her when she stopped and turned. "Its still light out, I'll need a blanket." He slapped her ass and ran to the bed before she could even react. She smiled as she rubbed the spot his had just touched. He came back to her with the large blanket that had covered the bed and pushed her out of the room.  
  
She saw Xander at the bottom of the stairs and ran into his arms.  
  
"Xander, oh how wonderful to see you." Xander kissed her cheek.  
  
"God, I'm so glad you're all right."  
  
Giles walked to her and she hugged him.  
  
"Buffy," he took her head in his hands and kissed her forehead. "Welcome back."  
  
"Thank you Giles for finding someone to get me out of there. How long was I gone?"  
  
"It seemed like an eternity, but only 3 days thank the lord." Answered Giles.  
  
"How is Willow? Spike said she looked fine." Xander came behind her and took her by the shoulders.  
  
"Willow is fine. She had a few rough days, but she is back to her normal self."  
  
Spike had gone out and placed his bag on the horse and was now standing at the door and waited for Elizabeth with the blanket.  
  
"Let's go home." Giles walked out to the front room with Elizabeth and Xander behind him. Spike opened the blanket and Elizabeth stepped into it. As he began to wrap her with the blanket Giles and Xander looked at each other.  
  
"Um, Buffy there are plenty of horses. Perhaps you would be more comfortable riding your own." Elizabeth popped her head out of the blanket.  
  
"No, I'll be more comfortable with Spike." Spike stuffed her head back into the blanket and picked her up with ease, then walked out of the cottage.  
  
"Just what happened here last night?' asked Xander  
  
"Let's never ask." said Giles as they walked out of the cottage.  
  
Giles held on to Elizabeth while Spike mounted his horse, and then handed her to him. He noticed how carefully he settled Elizabeth into him, and although he didn't hear what he said to her, Spike was smiling and hugged her. He would never ask what had happened in that cottage, between them both, but in his mind knew that there was a bond between Elizabeth and Spike now. 


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 28  
  
Tuesday morning  
  
Willow and Andrew were waiting for the group to come back. They had been looking in books trying to improve on the cloaking spell, yet were not really getting anywhere.  
  
Willow heard the horses outside and rushed to the door. Xander came in first followed by Giles then Spike holding Elizabeth in the blanket. He set her down and she dropped the blanket.  
  
Elizabeth looked at Willow and began to cry.  
  
"Oh Willow." She fell into Willows arms and the two women held each other tightly as they cried.  
  
"I was so afraid for you Buffy."  
  
"Me? Willow I didn't know what had happened to you. What he did to you, oh Willow, I'm so sorry, it was my fault."  
  
"NO!" said Willow sternly, "Don't you ever say that! Remember, I chose this; we're all in this with you because we chose to be. He did this not you." Willow wiped the tears from Elizabeth's face and the two women walked into the library together with the three men following.  
  
Andrew stood as Elizabeth and Willow walked in. Elizabeth walked to him and held out her hand.  
  
"Hello, you must be Andrew." Andrew smiled and shook her hand. He immediately felt how cold she was and took a step back holding a hand to his neck in the same spot the other vampire had tried to tear his throat out. Spike rushed to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It's all right mate. She won't hurt you. She's not like that one." Spike pointed to Andrews scar and felt him relax.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said as he blushed, "I just." he was clearly embarrassed for overreacting.  
  
"Spike told me about your previous experience. I don't blame you." She smiled at him sweetly and Andrew looked at Spike.  
  
"I feel like a fool." He said.  
  
"S'allright. You should've seen me when I first saw her. C'mon, got something to tell you." He put his arm around Andrews shoulder and walked him out of the library and into the hall to tell him what had happened to Ethan and the rest.  
  
Giles had caught Elizabeth up on what had been happening. He told her that Faith and Wesley went to France to get the spear and that they should be home soon. Willow had told her how they were able to locate her with Jenny's help. As they finished their conversation Giles noticed that it was dinnertime. He walked out of the library and was on his way to the kitchen to ask Jenny about dinner.  
  
Spike and Andrew had finished their conversation and returned to the library. Elizabeth noticed that although he seemed relieved about having been told what happened to Ethan and the others, Andrew seemed sad. Spike pulled sat next to her and she leaned into him.  
  
"I gather Andrew knows what I did to your former associates." Spike smiled.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What's wrong with him? He seems sad."  
  
"Ethan was his father."  
  
"Oh God, Spike I." Elizabeth felt the sting of guilt. She had killed his father. She would have to speak to Andrew at some point. Spike's reassurance that the man treated him like a monster helped but not much. The man was still his father.  
  
"Don't be sorry. The man was a monster. He treated Andrew like a slave. Before I joined up with them he beat Andrew on a regular basis. His mum never married Ethan, and when she died he was left with Ethan." Spike looked over to Andrew who was sitting at the opposite end of the table next to Willow. "He was just a kid. And he treated like garbage. When I left Ethan I took him with me. I couldn't leave 'em with that Bastard."  
  
Giles came back in and called them to the dining room. Jenny had made roast lamb with potatoes and other vegetables. They all sat around the table, like a family, and in their own places. Giles at one end and Jenny at the other. Willow next to Xander, and there were two empty places next to him. Then Elizabeth on the other side with Spike next to her and Andrew next to him. Everyone began to eat except for Elizabeth. Spike began to pass her a piece of lamb; she crinkled her nose and shook her head.  
  
"I don't eat.." She was interrupted before she could finish.  
  
"Oh, sorry luv, I forgot you don't eat food."  
  
"Oh I eat food. I just don't like to eat lamb. They're so cute." Everyone looked up from their plates guiltily for a moment, then shrugged their shoulders and resumed eating.  
  
"Buffy, I'm sorry I forgot." Said Jenny.  
  
"Its all right, I'll get a bite later."  
  
" Yes, literally." Xander laughed.  
  
"Xander!" Elizabeth picked up a piece of bread and with great accuracy threw it at Xander's head.  
  
"Ow, and thank you." He picked up the bread and began to eat it. They finished their dinner and retreated to the hallway once again.  
  
"When do you think Wesley and Faith will be coming back?" Elizabeth asked Giles.  
  
"According to our calculations, they should already have the spear, and be on their way back."  
  
Spike and Andrew looked at each other with confusion. Elizabeth saw them and pulled Giles to the side and spoke low.  
  
"Giles, I know we can trust them. We may need their help with this." She noticed Giles looking unsure. "Giles, the more help we have the better we can fight Angelus. He saved me, he deserves to know all of it."  
  
"Buffy, they are mercenaries. And have a questionable past."  
  
"I know, but we can trust them. Giles everyone makes mistakes; you weren't terribly innocent when you were you were that age either. Isn't that what you have always told us?" Giles smiled and nodded in affirmation. Giles had been quite the hell raiser as a young man, yet now he was a highly respected decent man. If Elizabeth trusted Spike then he would do so as well. They returned to the group.  
  
"I think I'm going to bed. I'll see everyone in the morning, except Buffy. I'll see you in the afternoon." Willow walked to her and hugged her once more then walked up to her room.  
  
"I think I'm a bit tired myself. Good night everyone." Xander walked to Elizabeth and kissed her cheek. "Its good to have you back." He turned and walked up the stairs after Willow. Giles now looked at Spike and Andrew.  
  
"I think we need to talk." Giles gestured at the two men and pointed to the parlor.  
  
"Only if you've decided to tell us what the bleedin' hell is goin' on here." Shot Spike. Elizabeth put her hand on Giles shoulder.  
  
"Tell them everything Giles." She looked and Spike. "You may not want to stay after Giles tells you what is going on here. I'll understand if you don't." She turned and walked out and began her hunt. 


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 29  
  
Giles proceeded to tell Spike and Andrew everything that had transpired in Elizabeth's life. He told them her parents had been killed by Angelus. That he had planned to kill Elizabeth and take her estate. He told them how he had tortured Willow and that he had searched for and found an ancient spear that held the power to rule armies. Spike and Andrew listened.  
  
"Now you know what kind of a madman we are dealing with. What you do know is up to you. Buffy needs help, we need help." Giles stood. "I do however owe you a payment for getting her out of that chapel." Giles began to take money out of his pocket.  
  
"Put that away." Said Spike. He looked at Andrew. "You up for a stay near that ocean you love to listen to so much mate?" Andrew smiled.  
  
"No one chasing us anymore. Why not." Andrew shrugged and smiled.  
  
"Looks like you have two more guests." They shook hands and followed Giles up the stairs.  
  
In the days after Willow returned to the house, Xander had moved into her room and there was again an extra room. Faith and Wesley were expected the next evening and they would need their room.  
  
"I'm afraid you'll have to share this room." In the back of his mind Giles knew Spike and Buffy would eventually wind up in the same room, but felt he should at least give the appearance of not knowing. He said his goodnights and left the two men in the room.  
  
"So," Andrew said, "spill."  
  
"Spill what?" asked Spike.  
  
"You and Buffy. What happened other than you getting her out of that chapel, that's what."  
  
"I already told you."  
  
"You told me she killed.." Andrew hesitated for a moment, "that she killed Ethan and the brothers Grimm. I'm not blind or stupid Spike. There is something going on with you two."  
  
"If you think you're gettin' details.." Spike raised his eyebrows and looked at Andrew.  
  
"I don't need details." Andrew put his hand up, halting Spikes inevitable rant. "But feel free to volunteer. I know you, I saw it. The way you look at each other when you think no one is watching."  
  
"Andrew, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." Spike sighed in defeat. He shook his head and turned to look out the window.  
  
"Spike. You walked in there tonight with a vampire we were hired to rescue from a chapel, which her ex-fiance trapped her in because he wanted to kill her and take her money, as well as recover a spear that has been missing for centuries so that he could rule the world." Spike turned and faced him, " What could you possibly say now that I wouldn't believe."  
  
"Buffy is the woman in the dreams I've been having."  
  
Andrew looked at him blankly.  
  
"I don't believe it."  
  
Wednesday 3:00 am - London  
  
Their ship had landed at Midnight. Faith and Wesley found an Inn and rented a room to occupy until the next evening. Wesley had made the trip without losing too much of his strength. Since the gash on his side still hadn't closed, he needed to keep it constantly bandaged and he needed more blood than he normally would take in.  
  
"We should be home by tomorrow Midnight." Said Faith as she readied for their hunt.  
  
"We need to find out if the witch got to Angelus with that other piece." Wesley put his jacket on and came up behind Faith. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He inhaled deeply and knew she was aroused. He kissed her neck and began to pull her blouse out of her pants. He ran his hands up her stomach and cupped her breasts.  
  
"Wesley, please." She took hold of his hands and forced him to squeeze her tighter. "I need you, please." He took her hands and placed them against the wall and quickly pulled down her pants. He knelt behind her and ran his hands up her leg. He kissed the small of her back and nipped at her bare bottom. "Uh," Faith moaned and threw her head back. She had wanted him so desperately these last few days. Wesley rose and pulled down his pants and took out his cock and entered her fiercely. Up to now he hadn't the strength, but was finally now beginning to recover some of it. He slammed into her and she pushed herself hard against him.  
  
"You're mine Faith, uh .. all of you.. every drop of you is mine.." He growled into her neck and bit into her as they both came. They fell to the floor on their knees and rocked into each other. He receded his fangs and licked her wound. She turned her head and kissed him, tasting her own blood in his mouth.  
  
"Yes my love. I am yours, every drop." The kissed each other softly for a few moments.  
  
"Come, let's go and get something to eat. I need strength for when we return." He stood up and lifted her to her to her feet smiling.  
  
"What happens when we return?" she asked  
  
"I take my time."  
  
Giles' home 3:30 am  
  
Elizabeth came in quietly. She immediately went to the bathroom and washed the blood from her body. She had been particularly sloppy tonight. All she thought of was what would Spikes reaction be to what Giles was going to tell him. She had feared the worst, that Spike would leave. She put on her nightdress and opened the door to her bedroom. There were several bathrooms on the second floor, one of which was in-between her bedroom and Faith and Wesley's.  
  
Earlier in the night Spike had waited long enough to make sure everyone had been asleep and snuck into her room. He fell asleep knowing that she would wake him upon her return. When Elizabeth entered the room she immediately felt him. There it was, the unmistakable scent of Spike.  
  
McKenna Manor - 3:35 am  
  
Angelus was outside. He looked up at the sky, thinking on Amy's last words. He needed to get the other half of that spear. Ethan and his men had been missing since Monday night and no one had seen them in the village. The guards had told him they never came by the chapel. Yet unbeknownst to him the guards had not told him of the rock through the window of the chapel as well as one of them being knocked out cold. They knew better than to say anything to him about that.  
  
He walked inside and called to Jonathan. As always the young man came quickly.  
  
"Have you found anything in her books?"  
  
"They all refer to it in its whole state. I doubt the fragment would be of any use." Said Jonathan nervously. Angelus walked toward the large fireplace in the great room and stared into the flames.  
  
"I need to find out where the other piece is, and I need to know this yesterday." He said through gritted teeth. Jonathan felt his body begin to shake. He knew that tone. Angelus turned and walked towards Jonathan. He put his hand on the boy's cheek and leaned in close to his face.  
  
"Be a good boy and find it for me." He thumb caressed the cheek for a moment as he smiled. Jonathan closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed hard.  
  
"H.how? A.Amy was not a very good te.teacher sir." He was shaking, with fear.  
  
"I have faith in you. I know you will not disappoint me." He lightly slapped Jonathan's face and walked up the stairs. Jonathan walked back to the library and began to look through Amy's journals. There had to be a way to find the location of the fragment. He needed to find it he could not risk Angelus being annoyed with him.  
  
Giles' home - Elizabeth's room - 3:40 am  
  
She had been watching him sleep for several minutes. She pulled the curtains and walked around to the empty side of the bed. Taking in his scent made her dizzy with passion and she felt the wetness between her legs grow. She lay down next to him and lightly ran her fingers through his hair trying to imagine the little boy with short spiky hair. Laughing softly she had decided to make the suggestion that he cut it. It was hard to see his eyes sometimes with the hair falling in front of it, and she couldn't see the wonderfully sculpted cheekbones that made her quiver. She felt him stir and turn into her.  
  
"Mmm, there you are. Did my kitten get her fill?" He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips. He loved that she always smelled so feminine. She smelled like nature to him, it comforted him.  
  
"Yes, but she wants something else now." She wrapped her arms around him and lightly scratched his back. This made him tingle and she felt his erection against her thigh. "I didn't know if you would be here when I came back."  
  
"Can't leave you pet, I can't ever leave you." He tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry about your parents, about everything." She draped her leg over his hip.  
  
"It has been hard. I didn't know how I would get through all of this, but I have Giles and Willow and Xander. Faith and Wesley will be here this evening and now I have you and Andrew." She leaned in closer to him. "Especially you."  
  
"So this Wesley, he's your sire then. What exactly does that mean?" He asked cautiously, not knowing what the answer would be. Giles had told him that there was always a strong bond and connection between a sire and his fledgling, yet he seemed squeamish and would not give him further details. Elizabeth sensed him tense up immediately.  
  
"I belong to him."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But its not like that with him." She ran her hand up his arm. "He and Faith are mated, and they are faithful to each other."  
  
"Mated? You mean like married?" he slipped his leg in-between hers and felt the soft wet folds that called out to him now. He felt her purr and she let out a small moan.  
  
"Y.. yes, ohh, Spike. .you're so warm." She said as she licked his neck like a cat lapping milk from a bowl. "I need to feel you against me." He rolled himself on top of her and without pause thrust himself deep into her.  
  
"Do you feel me know? Feel me warming you?" He kissed her hard, "Where's my kitten?" he looked at her and smiled and licked her lips. She loved the way he called out to her demon. He could be as aggressive and rough as he wanted with the demon, yet with her he was gentle and always tender. It was the way he had accepted that part of her that made her feel so special, and loved. He wanted all of her.  
  
"Yes.. oh yes.. don't stop.. oh Spike unh.. I.. please.I think I'll die if you stop." Having both realized the absurd statement she had just made; they both looked at each other and began to laugh. 


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 30  
  
Giles's home - Wednesday 10:00 pm  
  
Elizabeth had gone out early. Spike and Andrew decided to go and investigate the property around McKenna manor.  
  
Faith and Wesley arrived sooner than they had expected, and were happy to finally be in a familiar setting. They walked into the house and went directly to the library. Willow was the first to look up from the stack of books.  
  
"They're back!" she ran to them both and greeted them with a hug. When she moved to Wesley he winced and grabbed his side. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"  
  
"Yes. Its quite all right Willow." He said as he sat down in the chair Giles had pulled out for him.  
  
"What happened." Asked Xander.  
  
"We found the spear." Said Faith.  
  
"That's wonderful." Exclaimed Giles.  
  
"Well, there is a problem." Added Wesley. The group looked at him, "There was a fight. I only managed to get a fragment of the spear before the witch teleported."  
  
"She stabbed Wesley with it and now his wound will not heal."  
  
"Good lord." Was all Giles could muster as he leaned back into his chair.  
  
"Are you in pain?" asked Willow.  
  
"Just a bit. It burns sometimes, that's when it gets quite unbearable."  
  
"We think that it has something to do with the spear. Which by the way is more of an arrowhead." Faith took out the fragment from her purse and placed it onto the table. Giles reached over and took it into his hands to examine it.  
  
"You are most probably correct. This is a mystical object after all." Giles held the fragment in his hands as Elizabeth came in.  
  
"Faith, Wesley!" she walked to her cousin and her sire who had been sitting with his back to the door. She looked at Wesley and knelt down and put her hand on his knee. In the time they had been apart, she had sensed something was not right with him, and now that he was here she knew it to be correct.  
  
"What's wrong?" he took her hand and kissed it.  
  
"I've been wounded. I'll be fine Buffy." He patted her shoulder to give her reassurance and smiled at her. Elizabeth rose to her feet and walked to Faith.  
  
"Its wonderful to be back." Faith held Elizabeth's hands and turned to the group, "Now tell us what we have missed." Willow and Elizabeth set upon to inform them as to what had transpired while they had been gone as Giles left the room to make tea.  
  
"Well, it seems as though we weren't the only ones to see action. I'm so glad you two are all right." Said Faith.  
  
"Indeed. Buffy, where is this man who rescued you. I should like to thank him." As she began to tell him, she heard the door and the voices of Spike and Andrew.  
  
"Oh, there he is now." Spike and Andrew entered the library. Elizabeth walked to Spike and took him by the hand.  
  
"Wesley, this is Spike and his partner Andrew."  
  
Wesley slowly stood and turned around, coming face to face with Spike.  
  
"Young master William?" 


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 31  
  
Spike approached Wesley and stopped dead in his tracks. The two men looked at each other in disbelief. Wesley approached Spike.  
  
"Young master William, how I have longed to see you these past years." He held his arms open and felt the warm embrace of the man whom he had met as a lonely scared boy. Spike felt his heart begin to beat faster, and he smiled. He had found the man that gave him the courage to face life as a little scared boy.  
  
No one said a word. They merely looked at one another in confusion. Everyone that is except Elizabeth and Andrew. When the two men finally pulled away from each other Wesley looked at Spike from top to bottom. His hair was short, almost the same as when he was a child. Earlier that day Elizabeth had talked him into letting her cut it. It was a bit longer than when he was a child, and it almost looked as though he had just gotten out of bed, which is how she liked it to look.  
  
"Look at you. What a handsome man you have become." He patted Spike on the shoulder as a father would a son. Spike had thought of him throughout all these many years. He wondered what had become of him, if he was still walking among the living, or if he had met his end long ago. He was elated to see Wesley standing before him. They looked around the room and turned to sit down.  
  
"I thought I would never see you again." Said Spike.  
  
"I told you my boy, family is never gone forever." Wesley looked at the confused faces round the room. "Perhaps an explanation is due." He said. They all sat around the table, eager to listen to the story of how the two men met.  
  
"I met Spike when he was a child. I had been traveling in Germany, making sure some of my properties there were being taken care of, when I ran into him in a forest."  
  
Spike turned to Elizabeth and whispered. "You think I was scared that day I met you, that nothing compared to when I ran across Wesley."  
  
"Quite true Spike." Said Wesley. Spike turned and rolled his eyes.  
  
"I keep forgettin' about that damned vampire hearing."  
  
"Well, Spike was running away from his school. He was almost accosted by two nasty looking gentleman in the woods, when I rescued him by making a meal of them." He pointed at the scar on Spikes brow. "I'm afraid I was responsible for that scar."  
  
Spike nodded as he smiled and touched his scar. "Got this as I was hightailin' it away from you." He turned to the group, "Wesley is also responsible for my nickname." They were all in awe.  
  
"I've never heard of such a thing. Surely fate had a hand in all of this." Giles sat back in his chair and put his hand on his chin. This was all too much of a coincidence.  
  
Much of the rest of the evening was spent talking about Angelus and the spear. As they talked into the late night, little by little the group began to dwindle, until there was only Spike and Wesley left at the long table. There was silence between them for a long while, and then Wesley finally spoke.  
  
"You lost your way didn't you?" asked Wesley quietly as he looked into Spikes eyes.  
  
"Yes." Spike looked away as he answered. One word, that's all it was; yet Wesley felt the guilt as Spike said it.  
  
"I'm sorry. That was my fault. It was the blood."  
  
"How was it your fault?" Spike looked at his scar with confusion.  
  
"My blood gave you power. And I foolishly left you to deal with it alone. I left you there when you needed me to teach you how to control what you had inside of you; you were too young to know how. My blood was too powerful for such a young child." He looked at Spike, "There was much anger in you wasn't there?" He had wanted to give the young scared child strength and courage, but did not realize at the time that his gift could also destroy him.  
  
"Sometimes, it was almost too much to bare." Said Spike as he ran his hand through his hair.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be." Spike looked at him and shook his head, "You gave me life. I don't think I would have survived in this world as long as I have without what you did. They found my uncle here in England soon after you left. I was with him for less than a month when he died of consumption. They sent me to another one of those Godforsaken schools. I stayed and got an education. Wesley I had no one. I survived because you made me strong. Don't be sorry for that." Spike leaned forward "I've learned to deal with the anger and the fear, the need for destruction. It took me a long time to control this urge, but I did it. I control it now, it doesn't control me." He felt the tears in his eyes and fought for them to stay back. Wesley had made a mistake, but as far as Spike was concerned it had saved him. Wesley nodded and smiled. He felt at ease with the words Spike had given him. There was another long silence between them and once again it was Wesley who spoke first.  
  
"You've been with her." Wesley stood and looked down at Spike.  
  
"How.. did you know?" Spike knew that Elizabeth would not have said anything to her sire regarding what they had done and was surprised when he knew.  
  
"Her scent, your scent. Your all over each other." He put his hand on Spikes shoulder. "It's all right. I'm glad she has you. I am her sire, and it is within my right to take her and do with her as I see fit. I have no desire to do so. You excite her, you comfort her. I can see it when you are together. There is energy around you both. She belongs to you." Spike looked up at him.  
  
"We belong to each other." 


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 32  
  
Spike had woken up to find Elizabeth in her usual spot. She always wound up against him with her face buried in his chest. He smiled and turned her onto her back. He kissed her softly on the lips but she was too deeply asleep to wake. There was a certain time of the morning that he could never rouse her from her sleep. He looked at her for a moment and touched her soft cool skin. He got up and dressed. Before he left the room he made a quick inspection of the curtains to make sure there was no light coming from anywhere and left the room.  
  
As he strolled down the stairs he heard voices coming form the dining room. Willow, Xander and Andrew were having breakfast.  
  
"'Mornin'" he said as he sat in his usual spot.  
  
"Good morning" said Andrew as he looked up from his eggs and potatoes.  
  
"Good morning Spike." Said Xander  
  
"Spike, good morning, you better take some eggs and biscuits before Xander goes in for seconds." Willow handed Spike a plate of eggs and some biscuits.  
  
"Willow, you make it sound like all I do is eat." Xander tried to sound offended, yet by the twinkle in his eyes Willow could see he was amused by her remark.  
  
"Thanks, I'm starving." Spike helped himself to a good portion of eggs and added some bacon to his plate.  
  
"Spike do you have any plans today?" asked Xander as he sipped his tea.  
  
"Um, no, not really."  
  
"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind going into the village with Willow and I."  
  
"What's happenin' there?"  
  
"Willow wants to buy some clothes and a few other things for her spells, but I have to meet with a client, and.." he took hold of Willow's hand, "I don't' want her to be alone. That's how Angelus got her the last time." He looked at Spike.  
  
"Giles did tell you about that didn't he?" asked Willow.  
  
"He did. This Angelus sounds like a real charmer. Don't worry Red, I won't let anything happen to you." He turned to Andrew, "What are up to today mate?"  
  
"Giles and I are looking into some of his older books. We're trying to find out if there is anything we can do about that gash on Wesley's side. The spear caused it, so maybe it will close it." Andrew finished his breakfast and took it into the kitchen. He came back through the living room and said his good-byes as he left to the library.  
  
They finished their breakfast and went out into the hall to get their coats.  
  
"Were off then?" Said Spike.  
  
"Aren't you going to let Buffy know your leaving?" said Willow.  
  
"Can't wake her up this time of the mornin'. She's in a deep sleep."  
  
They walked out and rode into the village. They arrived and took their horses to the stables. Xander kissed Willow and walked towards his office, while Willow and Spike walked down main street. Willow steered Spike into every clothing shop she could find.  
  
"Something tells me Xander got the better end of this deal." Said Spike as he sat down in the last shop they entered. Willow laughed. As he sat down he felt the locket slip out of his pants and fall to the floor. He looked down and picked it up, as Willow walked towards him and noticed the piece of jewelry.  
  
"Oh that's lovely." She smiled and looked at it. She touched the jewels that were in the front and examined the design. "Spike where did you get this?" she pulled her hand away and noted the sad look in his eyes.  
  
"It belonged to a woman." He looked at her as if unsure how to continue.  
  
"Wife?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"No, nothing like that. Ethan killed her. It was because of her that I left that life behind me." He leaned back in the chair and stared at the locket. Willow knelt in front of him and put her hand on his knee.  
  
"Did you know her?"  
  
"I didn't. But she touched something inside of me. She was a mother; I lost my mum when I was so young." He drifted a way for a moment and thought of his own mother, "It was the last job I did with Ethan and his men. I was keepin' watch, makin' sure the coast was clear." He cleared his throat "He said he was just going to rob the woman and her husband, but he killed the man and then." his voice faltered, "That woman was begging for her life because of her little girl, and he killed her. I rode back to that carriage as fast as I could but I was too late." He wiped a tear from his cheek.  
  
"I was finished after that. Ethan and the others went to spend the money they had stolen, and I took this. It belonged to her." he squeezed his hands around the locket, "Her little girl is in here. I swore to her would never hurt another innocent person again."  
  
Willow began to reach for the locket, but was stunned to see that Angelus had been standing outside the window behind Spike. She stood quickly and looked at Angelus, as he stared at her. Spike stood and turned, and put the locket back in his pocket.  
  
Giles' Home  
  
Elizabeth walked down to the library and noticed Andrew sitting at the table making notes. She approached him slowly.  
  
"Hello Andrew."  
  
"Oh" Andrew looked up and smiled, "Hello Buffy. If you're looking for Spike he went into the village with Willow and Xander."  
  
"I was actually wanted to speak with you."  
  
Andrew put down his pen and turned to face her.  
  
"Andrew, Spike told me that Ethan was your father. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for what I did."  
  
"Don't be. I hated him. He was never much of a father and wasn't a good person. Ethan killed a lot of people. People that didn't deserve to die, especially the way they did." He looked away briefly then met her eyes again, "When Spike told me he was dead, I felt sad for a moment, but only for what may have been. I always wished he could have been something better, but it wasn't inside of him. Spike is the only family I have now. He's like a brother to me."  
  
"He is quite protective of you." She smiled at him and touched his hand lightly. He patted her hand.  
  
"In my whole life, he is the only person that has ever even treated me like a person." He laughed, "I know he sometimes loses his patience with me but, he loves me. I know he does."  
  
Willow and Spike  
  
Spike was looking out the window. Angelus smiled and walked into the shop.  
  
"Why Miss Rosenberg. My you are looking so much better than the last time we saw each other. Your last visit was cut so short." he slowly walked to her, "You must come and visit me again." As he closed in on her Spike pulled her behind him and stepped in front of Angelus.  
  
"Something tells me the lady here didn't find you our your accommodations to her liking." He tilted his head and curled his tongue against his front teeth. Angelus looked at the blond man and scowled at him.  
  
"I don't think this is any of your business."  
  
"Well, first, I'll agree that you don't think, and second, it is my business since the lady is with me." Spike took a step closer to him, "Now sod off you ponce." Angelus grabbed Spike by his coat and Spike drew his arm back to punch him, when Willow stepped forward. She put out her hand and suddenly from deep inside of her came a power she never knew existed.  
  
"Release!"  
  
Angelus found himself flying back and violently hitting the wall near the door. Spike looked at Willow with his jaw hanging open.  
  
"Well all right then." Was all he could muster.  
  
Angelus recovered from his shock and scowled at Willow. He readjusted his jacket and stood up straight.  
  
"Miss Rosenberg. I'll be sure to give your regards to Elizabeth." He turned and walked out of the shop. Just before he exited he turned to her once more, "This is not over, mark my words."  
  
"Oi Red, where the bloody hell did that come from?"  
  
"I .I don't know." She looked at him in amazement of what she had just done. He took her by the arm.  
  
"C'mon lets get out of here, and see if Xander is finished." 


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 33  
  
Spike, Xander and Spike rushed back to the house. Willow was more determined than ever to find out if Angelus had that other fragment. The good thing was that Angelus had no idea Elizabeth was no longer in the chapel.  
  
They walked into the house and found Elizabeth and Andrew talking in the library.  
  
"Willow are you all right?" she looked at Xander and Spike, "What happened."  
  
"Willow and Spike ran into Angelus." Said Xander.  
  
"Oh my God! Did he hurt you Willow? What did he do?" Elizabeth looked at Willow and Spike chuckled.  
  
"What did he do? Tell 'em Red, tell 'em what you did." Spike was smiling from ear to ear. With the enthusiasm of a child, Willow began to tell her tale.  
  
"I don't really know myself. Angelus was coming toward me, saying how he wanted me to visit him again and then Spike stepped between us, and he said, the lady didn't find you or your accommodations to her liking and she's with me, and he told Angelus that he didn't think," Willow had done her best imitation of Spike as she recounted his words to Angelus, " and then Angelus was all, Oh its none of yore business, and he grabbed Spike and then I felt this rage inside of me and this power, and I kept thinking about what he did to me, and to you Buffy and I was so angry, and then I put my hand up and said Release and Angelus went flying back against the wall." She had barely breathed while she was telling her tale.  
  
"Willow that's extraordinary! Your powers are obviously more advanced than we ever thought." Said Giles.  
  
"Oh I almost forgot. Angelus still thinks Buffy is in that Chapel." Added Willow.  
  
"Thank God for that. We still have that advantage over him." Said Giles.  
  
They huddled around the table as Willow placed the small map of the village and the surrounding lands on top of it.  
  
Spike spotted a marker off near the ocean. He remembered seeing a large Manor home coming back from Angelus' house.  
  
"What's this?" he asked pointing at the spot.  
  
"That's Summer's Manor. It's my home." Said Elizabeth. She looked into Spikes eyes and he froze. There was a sudden knowledge that came over him at that moment and he felt as though the ground beneath him would open up and swallow him. He began to tremble as he backed away from her slowly. He lowered his head and took out the locket. He studied the cover. What he had believed to be a random pattern of swirls made by diamonds and rubies was in fact small S's.  
  
Elizabeth approached him. He opened the locket and looked at the picture of the little girl, then looked at Elizabeth, only to see the same eyes staring back at him. His hand began to shake. She looked at the object in his hand.  
  
"Where did you get that?" she asked nervously. He swallowed hard.  
  
"Ethan..took it from Ethan." He said in what was barely a whisper, his eyes were closed and he thought, how cruel the fates were, and how he truly hated them at this moment. "Buffy." he looked at her with pleading eyes, and lost his voice. The walls were closing in on him, he couldn't' breath, he needed to get out, he needed to get away. He couldn't bare the thought of hearing the inevitable words of hate that would come form her. He knew now who that woman had been that day in France, and who her little girl was. He dropped the locket and ran out the door. Elizabeth bent down and picked up the locket.  
  
"Buffy?" asked Willow as she put her hand on her shoulder. Elizabeth was silent as she stared at the locket.  
  
"It belonged to her mother." Said Faith, "It was an anniversary present from Buffy's father."  
  
Andrew sat in silence. What could he say or do? He buried his face in his hands. This was a nightmare he thought, and he was in hell. Giles, Xander and Wesley looked at each other perplexed, not knowing if they should ask what was happening.  
  
Elizabeth turned and walked to the table and sat down next to Andrew.  
  
"I need to know what happened, " she asked in a whisper, "I need to know all of it Andrew."  
  
FLASHBACK 2 MONTHS AGO  
  
They had taken their positions near the road. Olaf spotted the carriage first and rode to the others to alert them.  
  
"When they get closer, Olaf you run out in front of the carriage and stop it. Travers, you'll hold the man back and I'll get the woman's jewels then.." Ethan was stopped before he could finish.  
  
"Then we tie them up and leave them here." Spike said. Ethan smiled as Spike glared at him.  
  
"Of course, of course. It wouldn't be prudent to kill them. After all we don't need to leave a trail of bodies behind us." Ethan patted Spike on the back and readied the horses. "Spike when the carriage is stopped I want you to ride to the main road up there and make sure no one comes this way."  
  
Spike rode his horse back away from the others and waited for the carriage to approach. As he saw it come closer he began to ride out onto the main road.  
  
Olaf had ridden his horse out from behind the trees and stopped in front of the carriage. He took hold of the reins of the other horses and produced a crossbow form behind him. He aimed at the driver and shot into the middle of his forehead.  
  
Ethan and Travers ran out from the trees and opened the doors of the carriage. Travers took hold of Earl Summers and dragged him out onto the ground. Before the man could utter a single word he stuck him in the heart with a knife. Inside the carriage Ethan put his hand to Joyce's mouth.  
  
"Good evening, my lady." Joyce struggled underneath Ethan's grasp and her eyes open wide with fear. "Hold still and I'll think about making this quick." He took his hand from her mouth and hit her so hard her lip began to bleed profusely. She was crying and gasping for air.  
  
"Please, don't kill me. Please I have a daughter, my little girl, please." She grabbed her locket and cried, bowing her head down.  
  
Spike had ridden up the road and saw that no one was coming. He decided to ride back to keep an eye on Ethan and the others and make sure he did not hurt the occupants of the carriage. As he rode closer he heard the woman scream. She was pleading for her life, she was begging him not to kill her, for her little girl, she needed to get back to her little girl. He rode faster, yet as he drew closer to the scene they pleading stopped. He reached the carriage and jumped off his horse and ran. Ethan stepped out of the carriage and got on his horse. There was blood on his hands. Spike looked inside to see a woman slumped over, blood pouring down from her throat. He turned to Ethan.  
  
"You Son-of-a-bitch! You didn't have to kill them! You fucking bastard!" he growled and rushed towards Ethan. Ethan smiled and rode away before Spike could reach him. Travers and Olaf followed behind.  
  
Spike fell to the ground. This was the last straw. He was done. He could no longer bare the torment of his life. He didn't want this anymore, he couldn't do this one moment longer. Turning a blind eye was just as bad as if he had killed all those people himself. He road back to the cottage they had been staying in, and from a distance could see a light through the window. As he drew nearer he saw that the other horses were gone. He dismounted and walked into the cottage. Andrew was sitting at the table, organizing the money and jewelry that had been stolen. He looked at Spike and noticed him looking ragged and tired.  
  
"Where are they." Spike asked quietly.  
  
"They left a while ago. No doubt drunk by now." Sighed Andrew. He was disgusted by the whole situation. Ethan and the others loved to boast; he already knew what had transpired earlier in the evening.  
  
Spike walked to the table and sat down. He saw a locket and picked it up. When he opened it he saw the face of the most beautiful little girl he had ever seen. He began to cry uncontrollably. Andrew sat across from him and remained silent. He had never seen another man cry, and it troubled him seeing Spike this way. Spike had been teetering on the edge for months, yet this night he had gone over. He cried for several minutes more, then wiped the tears from his face and looked at Andrew.  
  
"Get your things. We're leaving." He got up and walked to his room. Andrew followed.  
  
"Spike I.I can't." Andrew was afraid. He was afraid to leave and afraid to stay. Spike turned to him.  
  
"I'm not leaving you here with him. I can't stay here a minute longer and I can't protect you if I'm not here." He walked over to Andrew and took him by the shoulders, "Andrew I get that you're scared, but he'll hurt you." He saw the fear in Andrew's eyes, but he knew the young man could not protect himself.  
  
"Where will we go? You know he'll come looking for us." Said Andrew.  
  
"We can go to England. There's a ship sailin' tomorrow, and I know a bloke, owes me a favor. Ethan and the others won't be home for hours, and when they get back they'll be so piss drunk they won't know up from down. Now c'mon mate, get your things."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Elizabeth placed the locket on the table.  
  
"So neither of you had anything to do with my parents death." She looked at Andrew with tears in her eyes.  
  
"No. I, we never knew who hired Ethan for that job. Spike would have killed Ethan himself if he had known about anyone being killed. Ethan never shared details with us." Andrew now took the locket, "The night we left he took this with him. He said he needed to look at her picture. It gave him some kind of peace. He called her." he looked at Elizabeth, "you his angel, his saving grace."  
  
Elizabeth stood and walked out. Everyone in the room followed her.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Xander.  
  
""I need to find him. I need to bring him back." 


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 34  
  
Elizabeth rode through the forest. She followed his scent. Surprisingly she found him on the grounds of her Summers Manor. She could not go inside because technically it belonged to Willow, and she needed the invitation to come from her so she went around to the gardens. She turned around and found his scent again, and followed it to the gardens. She found him in the same spot she had seen Faith that fateful night. He was looking up at the sky and she knew he was listening to the ocean, since she had done the same thing so many times when she lived there. She ran to him and stopped just a few feet away. She approached him cautiously.  
  
"Spike. I know what happened. Andrew told me everything." She closed to distance between them. He lowered his head and she could see his shoulder shaking. He was crying silently. He turned and fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist. He wept against her chest as she held him tightly against her body. As she looked down at him, she caressed his cheek and ran her hands through his hair.  
  
"God how you must hate me." He looked up at her. His eyes where swollen and red from crying. She lowered herself to meet his gaze, and cupped his face with her small hands.  
  
"Far from it Spike. I love you." She kissed his lips and tasted the salt on his lips from the tears.  
  
"How could you love me knowing what I've done, what I was. Buffy I don't deserve your love." He turned away from her, but she turned his head back to face her.  
  
"I told you, Andrew told me everything. I know you had nothing to do with my parents' death. If anything I should thank you. When you got me out of that chapel, Ethan followed you. He found you there in the cottage and it gave me the time I needed to get to them. I didn't know it at the time, but because of you I avenged my parents' death. At least partly." She wiped the tears from his face and laid her forehead against his.  
  
"Spike. I love you. I've loved you from the moment I sensed you, from the moment you invaded my dreams. I don't know what fate has brought us together this way and I don't care. I need you. Please come back with me." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he held her close to him.  
  
"I was so scared you would hate me. I couldn't live knowing you hated me." He buried his face in her neck and breathed in the scent in her hair. He pulled away from her and stared deeply into her eyes.  
  
"I love you so much." He kissed her lips softly. She parted her lips and let his tongue enter her mouth, "Love you so much. Buffy." His hands roamed over her body, wanting to feel every inch of her. He had come so close, so close to losing her. He stood up and picked her up off the ground and walked towards the large house.  
  
"No. We can't go inside. I can't. Willow needs to be here, its her home, I had it transferred to her before, I was changed." She took his face into her hand and kissed him once more. He turned and walked along the path and found a soft spot of grass. The sky was open to them, and bright with stars. It was a cool night and in the distance the waves crashed against the rocks beneath the cliffs that lay walking distance from her home. They lay beside each other saying nothing. Spike pushed her down on her back. Kissing her softly he caressed her cheek and ran his hand down her neck, then past her shoulder and down her arm until he held her hand. He raised his head and looked down at her, as she ran her fingers lightly across his cheek.  
  
"I told Wesley we belonged to each other." He said.  
  
"We do."  
  
"I want to be yours completely, Buffy." His eyes gleamed and tore into her like a bolt of lightning. She knew what he wanted.  
  
"Are you sure Spike? It.it's for life."  
  
"Without you I have no life." He kissed her again, yet this time she felt the need in him. She felt the desire in his hands as they slowly undressed her. They separated long enough to complete their undressing of each other. She took control of him now. Guiding him to the ground and sitting him so she could straddle him. They sat face to face. He moaned and laid his head on her shoulder. God how he ached for her; how he wanted to bury himself deep inside of her and never come out. His hands ran up and down her back and he could feel the vibrations of her purring against him.  
  
His breathing was becoming heavy, and as she licked his neck she felt the shiver pass through his entire body. He waited patiently for her. She kissed his neck then his temple, his eyelids and finally whispered into his hear.  
  
"Now, please Spike, now."  
  
He placed his hands underneath her soft bottom and lifted her slightly. He slid into her slowly. He was where he wanted to be every moment of his life since he had met her; no before then, since he had felt her soul pass through him all those many nights. He was inside of her, and he was in heaven. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and she rocked herself against him. He brought a hand to her breast and squeezed it gently, then placed his other hand at the small of her back. They barely moved yet there was enough motion to cause the right amount of friction.  
  
"You belong to me Spike, your mine." She licked his neck.  
  
"You're mine Buffy." He licked her neck, and at the same time they bit into each other. Elizabeth came instantly her body was convulsing with wave after wave of pleasure. Spike thought he would faint from the sheer pleasure of it all. She was also sucking and pulling at his neck drinking his blood and lapping at his neck. She pulled back not wanting to take too much from him, as his blood tasted like no other she had taken since Wesley had turned her. In a moment of clarity she rationalized that it made sense for him to taste this way. After all there was a part of Wesley inside of him. The strength that he had given him as a child was still there, inside of him, coursing through his veins. Spike released her neck and embraced her tightly. He felt that strange feeling once more, as he did when he was a child, and Wesley had shared his blood with him. It was warm and comforting, yet this time he had tasted it. As a human he should not have even craved blood, or even enjoyed the taste of it, but this was her blood, this was her body, and like everything of hers, he wanted it all.  
  
Without withdrawing from her he lay her down on her side then rolled her onto her back and lay on top of her. She still had her legs wrapped around him. His heart was beating at a rapid speed and he began to quicken his pace. Elizabeth felt the familiar stirring inside of her and he immediately sensed the eminent change in her, as there came a low growl from within her chest. He lifted his head and looked into her yellow eyes. She nipped at his lip and licked the tiny drop of blood that came from the tiny cut of her bite. He smiled and allowed her to suck and lick at his lip.  
  
"We should be getting back." She said  
  
"Will you always love me as much as you do now?" He said while he ran his hand up her back. She traced his cheekbones with her fingers.  
  
"No. I'll love you more tomorrow than I do today, and my love will grow as each new tomorrow comes my way." He raised himself on one elbow and smiled at her.  
  
"Buffy, I never knew you were a poet." 


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 35  
  
Giles' home  
  
Everyone had been sitting around the dining room table waiting for Spike and Elizabeth. Faith and Wesley had gone out and come back and the two still had not arrived.  
  
"Does anyone think we should go look for them?" asked Willow.  
  
"No, they need to resolve this without our interference." Said Giles.  
  
"Yes, this is a most disconcerting turn of events, and quite difficult for both of them." Added Wesley. The door opened and they all turned their heads to the hall. Spike and Elizabeth walked in hand in hand.  
  
"You waited up for us?" she asked.  
  
"No, " Said Giles, as he caught sight of something on both their necks. He took his glasses off and began to briskly clean them, and wondered if anyone else noticed the marks. "We were just finishing up uh, a late dinner. We were all just going off to bed." As if on cue they all smiled and nodded then one by one began to get up from their seats. Spike put his arm around Elizabeth's waist and made his apologies to the group.  
  
"I..I'm sorry about goin' a bit wonky earlier."  
  
"It's quite all right Spike, we understand." Wesley looked around the room, "We all go a bit, um, wonky, once in a while don't' we." Everyone nodded and agreed with Wesley, as they passed by on their way to their rooms. "Well we're off to bed then. Faith?" he looked at Faith and took her hand. Spike and Elizabeth hurriedly walked up the stairs as well, both eager to fall asleep in each other's arms.  
  
"Did you see Wesley?" whispered Faith as she smiled.  
  
"Yes, " he leaned down and kissed her forehead. They reached their own room and he locked the door. He held her in his arms and caressed her shoulders as he trailed tiny kisses along her jaw line then down her neck and to the top of her breasts.  
  
She began to unbutton his shirt, and then lightly bit his nipple. She looked at his bandaged would for a moment. Faith knew she could not make him over exert himself. The constant bleeding from his wound had subsided yet it had gotten worse the night before they arrived at Giles's home. She needed to be gentle with him, even though he gave her every indication he wanted the opposite. She pushed him onto the bed and began to undress him.  
  
"I hate this, " he reached up for her and grabbed her by the waist roughly "I want to take you and ravish you and never stop." He kissed her lips fiercely.  
  
"I know, I want you to, but we can't, not until we get you better." He let her undress him and guided him up the bed and then took hold of his hands and placed them near the headboard. Then she took a scarf from the nightstand and tied his hands. "Lie still my love and let me have my way with you." She smiled and licked and nipped at his lips.  
  
She slowly undressed letting him look at her before she crawled up on the bed towards him.  
  
"Can you hear them?" she turned to the wall that lead to the connecting bathroom between Elizabeth's and their room. "God Wesley I could smell the sex all over them when they walked in." she licked her way up his stomach, "it was driving me mad."  
  
Wesley could hear the moaning and grunting coming from the next room.  
  
"Christ, don't they ever stop?" he asked as he threw his head back, "Oh..uh..right there." Faith licked back down his stomach.  
  
"I'm sure they say the same thing about us." She said.  
  
"Faith, I.need to ..be inside." He lifted his head and looked at her with his deep yellow eyes. "NOW!" She smiled and quickly straddled him and sunk down into him in one fluid motion. She gyrated against him quickening the pace with each thrust from him.  
  
Wesley thrust himself up inside of her with as much force as she would allow. She held him down and tried to keep control. He was not as strong as normal. If it wasn't for the wound on his side he could easily overpower her, as well as break his restraints, but he allowed her this. He knew it excited her, as much as it did him when she tied him up.  
  
She kept her hands on his chest, and kept her motions slow, then began to build herself up and to move against him faster. She felt him squirming beneath her, and his moaning was becoming louder.  
  
"Unh, Faith.faster.yes.God..I.can't .wait.much.longer" Wesley was on the verge of an intense orgasm, yet he needed to wait for her. Faith felt herself drawing near; she put her fingers into his mouth and allowed him to suck on them. She threw her head back and let out a piercing scream.  
  
"Aaaahhh, Wesley! Unh.yes..yess..oh." she dropped down on his chest and allowed him access to her neck. Wesley turned into her and sank his teeth into her, finally giving in to his own climax. He growled against her and drew out her blood. She reached up and unbound his hands. Quickly he rolled them over and he was on top of her, thrusting into her hard and heavy. As their motions slowed he withdrew his sharp teeth from her neck and stroked her hair. They remained still for a moment, and then Wesley lifted his head and looked to the wall once more. He could hear Elizabeth and Spike as they both climaxed. He looked at Faith and knew she was also listening.  
  
"And the race begins." He said. Faith laughed.  
  
"What is it about men, that they must make a competition of everything?"  
  
"Don't tell me you and Elizabeth aren't going to enjoy this?" He nipped at her neck and they rolled onto their sides and fell asleep. 


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 36  
  
The next morning  
  
Willow had found the location of the spear the night before. It was in the possession of Angelus. Although there was still much they did not know of it, they knew enough to realize that they needed the get the other piece from Angelus.  
  
Andrew, Giles and Willow had been working on a plan to get into McKenna Manor. The home was heavily guarded, and Angelus hardly ever left the grounds. It was imperative that they know the exact location before any sort of plan was carried out.  
  
Spike and Xander were in the gardens. Xander had asked Spike to show him the fine art of hand-to-hand combat as well as the use of weapons handling, since he realized that it was his duty to protect Willow. When they had returned from the village, he had felt a hint of jealousy while Willow was recounting the story and how Spike had tried to protect her. They had been sparring for a couple of hours.  
  
"You about ready to stop or you got a bit more left?" asked Spike as he threw a bucket of cool water over his head. The day was overcast a little and it allowed Elizabeth to look down at him through a small opening in the curtains. She watched as the water trailed down his shoulders, then over his beautifully sculpted chest. It trickled down over muscles on his abdomen, until they the drops reached his pants. She licked her lips and wished she was one of those drops that were making their way down into his pants and invading the soft curls only she was allowed access to. Spike looked up for a moment and smiled. He always knew when she was looking at him. He could feel a tingling sensation in the back of his neck and the short hairs would stand at attention.  
  
"Hello, are you in there?" Xander was waving his hand in front of Spike's face. Spike blinked several times and looked at him.  
  
"Huh? What's that?"  
  
"I said if I don't sit down soon, I'll collapse." Xander sat down on a crate and began to wipe the sweat from his face.  
  
"Oh, sorry mate. We'll just take up again tomorrow." He patted Xander on the back and put on his shirt, then walked into the house. Jenny was in the kitchen making lunch. As Spike passed behind her he reached onto the table and snuck a piece of roast beef she had cut. She turned and slapped him on the arm.  
  
"Ow!" Spike rubbed his forearm.  
  
"Get out of my kitchen Spike!" she laughed as Spike ran out. He rushed into the hallway licking his fingers, and then began to walk up the stairs. He stopped and heard voices in the library. He walked inside and saw Giles, Andrew and Willow. Giles looked up and motioned for him to come and sit.  
  
"Spike, just in time." He said.  
  
"Just in time for what?" asked Spike as he sat.  
  
"Since we know the fragment to be in the possession of Angelus, we are trying to work out a plan to get it from him."  
  
"Well, he's got his home well guarded. Andrew and I rode around that place for a while and there isn't one open spot to slip through."  
  
"That's true. We should also think about finding out if the witch is still working for him. She may have wards surrounding the entrances." Added Andrew.  
  
"I don't think that's a concern. While I was trying to locate the spear I also put out a feeler for power. I didn't sense any, there is no witch inhabiting that property." Said Willow. "I think what we need to do is maybe distract them. We have to get some of those people away from the entrances and maybe even get Angelus out of there."  
  
"Red's right. If there was some way we could get some of those people away from that place, I could get in and find that other half. The only problem is I need to know exactly where it is. I can't be walking about all over that place not havin' a clue where it might be." Spike looked at Willow, "Can you do something to find the exact location, I mean, at least what room it would be in?" Willow nodded.  
  
"I think so. How much time would you need to look for it?" she asked.  
  
"Don't know. Depends on how big a place I'm lookin' in. If you give me a location, I'll tear that place apart as fast as I can.. Just got to get Angelus out of there is all." Said Spike.  
  
"I know how to get him out of there." Elizabeth walked into the room and sat down next to Spike. They all looked at her. "I'll get into the manor and piss him off enough to come after me." Spike smiled and shook his head.  
  
"No. There is no way you're doing any such thing."  
  
"Spike this is the only way." she asked staring at with her eyebrows raised.  
  
"Then we find another way. It's dangerous. The last time you were there you wound up in that alter." Spike threw his seat back and began to pace. Elizabeth stood and walked to him.  
  
"Buffy, Spike has a point. It could be very dangerous for you." Said Giles.  
  
"Giles this is different. The last time I was caught off guard. Look, I can get into any room through the tunnels. When he comes after me he'll never catch me. I'm faster than he is. All I have to do is get out, get on a horse and let him and his men chase me for a while, then I lose them in the woods." She looked at Spike and stepped close to him. "Spike, please you know this will work." Spike looked away from her and shook his head. He sighed and looked into her eyes.  
  
"Stubborn bint." She smiled and kissed him, knowing she had just won her argument.  
  
As evening rolled in, Faith and Wesley had joined the group already assembled in the library. Faith was able to draw a diagram of the manor, since it had been her home before Angelus purchased it. She drew the ground floor, and then the second floor beside it, and then labeled the rooms. She placed the diagram in the middle of the table. Willow then placed a candle on each corner of the paper.  
  
"I need the spear." Said Willow as she looked at Giles. He walked into the lab and came out with a wooden box. As soon as he opened the box Wesley began to feel the burn coming from the gash on his side burn. He stepped away from the table and would have fallen were it not for Spikes quick reflexes.  
  
"What is it?" asked Spike. Faith rushed to Wesley and pulled a chair for him to sit down.  
  
"It must be the spear. He's been fine until now." She felt his skin and it was warm.  
  
"Maybe we should get him out of here." Said Elizabeth as she came up behind Spike.  
  
"No. I'll be fine as soon as it's put away." Wesley sat on the chair and waved them off, "Really, go, you need to listen." He motioned to the table and smiled as he leaned back. Faith stood next to him waving cool air in his face with a piece of paper and stroking his hair. Spike and Elizabeth walked back to the table and waited for Willows spell to begin.  
  
"It shouldn't take long. The fragment we have will point to the exact location of its other half." As Willow finished talking, everyone felt a chill in the air. There was a slight wind blowing and making the flames on the candles flicker.  
  
"Did someone leave the door open?" asked Xander. Giles lifted his head and walked out to the hall. The door was closed, and none of the windows in the library were open. He walked back to the table, and noticed Willow's breathing was becoming erratic and her eyes were closed.  
  
"Willow" Xander stepped closer to her.  
  
"Xander, wait." Giles held up his hand and motioned to Xander to stop, "Just wait one moment."  
  
Willow began to sway from side to side. He hand came up over the spear, and she opened her eyes, which were now pure white.  
  
"Embrace me winds, then set me free show me where my other half be."  
  
The winds picked up and papers began to fly around the room. The spear began to move, and slowly traveled across the paper and onto the diagram of the second floor of McKenna Manor. It came to stop in the room Faith had labeled as Angelus'. The air became warmer and the wind stopped. Willow was caught by Xander just before she hit the floor.  
  
"Willow." Xander lightly slapped her cheeks and Willow opened her eyes.  
  
"What happened? Did.. did something happen?" 


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 37  
  
Spike and Giles were gathering some weapons as Elizabeth was changing her clothes.  
  
"Andrew, here." Spike handed Andrew a small crossbow, "Giles, can you handle this one?" he then handed Giles the larger one.  
  
"Yes, I've done quite well with this in the past." Giles took the crossbow and hung it over his shoulder. Spike took a few daggers and a medium sized sword. Elizabeth came down the stairs and stood at the doorway.  
  
"I'm ready." She said. Willow, Xander, Faith and Wesley stayed behind. The plan was basically simple, and there was no need for all of them to go. Elizabeth would lure Angelus and as many of his men away from the Manor, then Spike, Giles and Andrew would go into the home and look in Angelus' room for the fragment.  
  
The four walked out of the Giles home and mounted their horses. They rode for 15 minutes, and cut through the woods. When they cleared the woods Elizabeth turned to Spike.  
  
"This is it." she said. He rode close to her and leaned his body towards her and kissed her.  
  
"Please be careful luv."  
  
"I will." She smiled at him and rode off. Spike Giles and Andrew rode to the north side of the manor where they had a better view of the front of the property.  
  
"Andrew, when we get inside I want you to concentrate on looking for anything that looks like it may tell us something about that spear." Said Spike as they positioned themselves.  
  
"A book, or perhaps something written by Angelus, anything." Added Giles. Andrew nodded. Spike and Giles would concentrate on taking the room apart and looking for the fragment itself. They waited in the darkness for Elizabeth to come riding out with Angelus and his men on her trail.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus had been in his room for several hours. There had been no sigh of Ethan and Jonathan was still unable to locate the other half of the spear. But Angelus had his suspicions. He thought of his encounter with Willow. The girl was powerful and he wondered if perhaps he should attempt to kidnap her once more. He also wondered if she knew where anything about the spear. He had deduced that the vampire Amy had spoken to him about was in the area. After all Elizabeth did not become a vampire on her own, therefore she had a friend. And if this other vampire had anything to do with the other fragment, then chances were Willow knew where it was, since Willow and Elizabeth had been friends. He glared out the window. He could see the ocean in the distance, and the waves underneath the moonlight.  
  
"And as the destroyer sinks beneath the waves, all shall tremble at his coming. I am the destroyer." He whispered  
  
"Some of us do not scare easily." Came a voice from behind him. Angelus spun around and looked toward the dark corner of his room. Elizabeth slowly came forward, letting the candlelight illuminate her.  
  
"Impossible. You're not here." He froze. It couldn't be her he thought. He entombed her in that alter to rot.  
  
"Oh, but I am here, I assure you I'm no ghost."  
  
"How?!" he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Can't tell you." She laughed softly, "It's a secret." She approached him slowly. "I've been out for quite a while. I'm surprised you didn't' know. But then how would you. Dead men tell no tales after all." She smiled and licked her lips. Her vampire features had surfaced by now. Angelus knew then, why Ethan and his men had never returned. Before he could think further, she rushed him and grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him to the far side of the room she had emerged from. He was dazed and as he looked up saw her fleeing his room.  
  
She all but flew down the stairs and threw open the front doors. She quickly dispatched the two men standing outside with a quick flick of her sharp nails to their throats. She ran to the nearest horse she saw and saw Angelus emerging form the open doors. She kicked at the horse's sides and he began his run. Off in the distance Spike saw her.  
  
"There she goes." He said to the others, "C'mon." the three men raced down the hill and reached the manor within seconds. As planned, Angelus rode after Elizabeth followed by most of his men. As they rode up there was a scattering of men rushing towards them. Giles shot two with his crossbow, and Andrew shot one more. Spike threw his dagger with stunning accuracy and struck another in the heart. They rushed into the home and followed Spike. Thanks to Faith's diagram they were able to head straight to Angelus' room. Andrew went to the desk near the window while Spike and Giles ransacked the room.  
  
Elizabeth rode like the wind. Luckily she had chosen a fast horse. She looked behind her and saw Angelus and his men following in the distance.  
  
Giles Home  
  
The remaining four sat waiting. Wesley and Faith were in the parlor, waiting for Willow and Xander to clear the library. As Willow leaned over to pick up the spear form the table, it began to move. It was slowly turning to the west, and away from Angelus' room.  
  
"Xander. Look." She pointed to the table. Xander walked to her.  
  
"That can't be good." He looked at her.  
  
Angelus began to slow his horse down. He looked around and saw that most of his men were there. His home had for the most part been left unguarded.  
  
"It's a set up. Turn around." They began to ride back to the manor.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Andrew found several entries in Angelus' journal referring to the spear. He quickly surmised that the key to the power within the sword was in its intact state. A thought occurred to him that perhaps it was in its whole state that it would be able to cure Wesley's wound yet he needed to be sure before he said anything. He tore the pages out and then saw a small book inside a drawer. He flipped through it and saw a picture of the spear, with a caption reading, "Der Speer des Schicksals (The Spear of Destiny)" he took the papers and the book and put them in his pocket. Spike was opening a drawer in a small bureau next to the bed when he heard a voice.  
  
"Spike!"  
  
He jumped back and looked around the room.  
  
"What the hell? Red?" Spike looked around the room but saw only Andrew and Giles staring at him.  
  
"Who are you talking to?" asked Giles.  
  
"Spike get out of there now!"  
  
"Where are you?" he asked.  
  
"Never mind! Get out of there. Angelus has the spear on him. He's turning around he's coming your way!" Spike looked at Giles and Andrew.  
  
"They're coming back, we have to leave now!" he grabbed Andrew and they ran out and down the stairs. They got outside and mounted their horses and began to ride away as Angelus and his men rode back to the front of the manor. Angelus called out for a crossbow. He aimed and shot at the men riding away. He had been carrying the spear within his belt the whole time. He knew that was what they must have been after, there was no need for him to ride after them, yet he felt the need to do some damage regardless.  
  
Giles home  
  
Elizabeth had arrived while Willow was communicating with Spike. The fragment on the table had been put away. They waited several minutes then heard the horses arrive. Spike and Giles came in first with Andrew following behind.  
  
"What the bloody hell happened?" asked Spike as he rushed in out of breath.  
  
"He had it with him. Angelus is carrying it. I saw the arrow move," she looked at Elizabeth, "it was moving while he was riding after you then it stopped and turned the other way."  
  
"Spike" Andrew walked into the library slowly.  
  
"Christ Willow, how did you get in my head like that?" Spike asked ignoring Andrew.  
  
"Spike." Andrew drew closer to Spike. Spike turned and looked at him.  
  
"What Andrew?" He was pale. Spike walked towards him and caught him as he fell forward. Andrew had an arrow imbedded in his back.  
  
"Oh my God!" Elizabeth rushed to Andrew and Spike, as did the others. Spike slowly sank down to the floor and sat with Andrew at his lap. He pulled open his coat and saw the head of the arrow coming out of Andrews's chest. Andrew began to tremble and his skin was becoming ashen.  
  
"Oh Andrew." Spike held Andrew in his arms. "Oh God, this is my fault. I should have made you stay."  
  
"Not your fault." Andrew was now having trouble breathing. His arm came and held Spikes shoulder, "In my pocket." Spike looked at Giles who was standing in front of him. Giles crouched down and took out the small book and the papers Andrew had torn out of the journal.  
  
"Complete.." He whispered, then coughed, "complete the spear, and I think .."  
  
"Sshh. Just try to keep still. Don't try to talk." Spike wiped the stray hairs away from Andrews's forehead. He rocked him and held him tightly. He felt Andrews's small fragile body begin to grow limp. He shook him, "Andrew, no. Don't close your eyes. C'mon, stay with me." He shook him again, "Andrew please, " tears were forming in his eyes, and his voice was beginning to crack. Andrew felt the coldness wash over his body and he knew there was little time for him.  
  
"You.you took care of me. Nobody wanted me, but you took care of me." Andrew felt Spikes warm tear fall to his cheek "you were like a brother to me." He took a shaky breath. "You're the only family I ever had, I wanted you to be proud of me."  
  
"I am proud of you, Andrew. Please just hang on, please." Spike started sobbing, "you can't leave me." He touched Andrews's cheek and held him closer. Spike began to tremble. Andrew gripped Spikes shoulder with the last bit of strength he had and raised himself closer to him.  
  
"I.I love you Spike." His hand lost its grip and Andrew fell against Spikes chest. Spike shook him.  
  
"Andrew, no. c'mon.not you.please not you." he shook him harder and slapped at his face. "Andrew!" his voice was growing louder, "Noooo Andrew.. please," his voice now lowered to a whisper, "Please don't leave me." He pulled the small body closer to him and held him tightly. "I love you too my friend, I love you too." He cried and buried his head in Andrews's neck.  
  
Willow and Xander wept in each other's arms, as did Faith and Wesley. Giles sat on the floor in front of the two men, with Jenny kneeling beside him.  
  
Elizabeth knelt down and sat next to Spike. Spike lifted his head and looked and wiped the tears from Andrews face. He put his forehead against Andrews and then kissed it.  
  
"Spike," Elizabeth whispered and put her hand on his back. "Spike, I'm so sorry." Tears were falling down her face as she watch how tenderly Spike held the lifeless body of his friend.  
  
"He was the only family I ever really had. I loved him, " he laugh quietly, "even when he annoyed me to all hell, I loved him." He looked at Elizabeth, "I never told him I did, he never knew."  
  
"He knew Spike, please believe me, he knew." She brushed Spike's hair back and kissed him on his temple. Spike sat silently rocking Andrew in his arms. He looked up at Elizabeth with the innocence of a child.  
  
"I need to bury him. Where will I bury him Buffy?" He said quietly and looked down at Andrew, who now seemed smaller and more fragile.  
  
"We'll take him to my estate. We'll bury him there." Spike stood and carried Andrews's body out of Giles' home. They all rode to Summers Manor. They walked into the garden guided by the moonlight, and buried him under the tallest most beautiful tree on the grounds. There was a soft breeze, and in the distance you could hear the ocean. 


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 38  
  
After they had stood over Andrews grave for several minutes, they turned and walked towards the large home. There were no servants in the house, as Willow had dismissed everyone. It was dark inside, except where the light of the moon had been coming in through the windows. Willow opened the French doors and invited Elizabeth in, then Wesley and Faith. The rest walked in and sat at the dining room table, which still had the decorations for the wedding that never took place.  
  
"Buffy, why don't you and Spike stay here tonight." Giles sensed that Spike would want to be alone in his grief, and it would be easier for him to sort out his emotions in a less crowded place. Elizabeth looked at Spike.  
  
"Would you like that Spike?" he looked up at her, through hollow eyes.  
  
"Sure, that's fine." He looked down at his shirt, which had a large red stain, from Andrews blood. "Gotta take this off." He pulled at it as if wanting to tear it off. Elizabeth stood and walked to him and took his hands into hers.  
  
"Why don't we go upstairs? I'll get some water and we can wash you up, all right?" He looked up at her and nodded. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the same look he had given Wesley that day in the forest. He was so sad and lost.  
  
"I'll get the water." Faith put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulders and walked to the kitchen to get a pitcher.  
  
"We should be getting back. Lets leave them alone." Xander got up from his chair and the rest followed. Wesley stayed behind and waited for Faith, to head back to Giles's home.  
  
Elizabeth had taken Spike to her room. She took off his coat, then his jacket, and his boots. He was lying on the bed as Elizabeth poured the water Faith had given to her into a basin next to the bed. She helped Spike take the blood soaked shirt off and with a towel she wiped away the blood on his chest. He lay still and every one in a while she would hear him take in a shuddered breath. She closed the curtains and the window and lay down next to him in the bed. He rolled over and put his head against her chest and silently cried. She soothed him by rubbing his back and running her hands through his hair, as he fell asleep. When she knew he was asleep she kissed him on top of his head and turned him onto his back. She thought of her parents and felt the tear run down her cheek.  
  
"I need you so much. I don't know what to do. Mum, I'm so lost. Please help me, please help me."  
  
Spike slept soundly in her arms. She felt his warmth against her body. And thought back to the day they had first made love. She thought it was the warmth she wanted most from him. But Spike was more than just a warm body. It was his heart that drew her to him. He was a good man. He had stood his ground when Angelus threatened Willow, and she had seen how much he loved Andrew and she felt how much he loved her. She had told Faith she would never fall in love, but that was before Spike came into her life. In such a short time, she had become so dependent on his presence. She could not imagine her life without him by her side.  
  
Morning  
  
Morning came and Spike woke up disoriented. He looked around the room and then remembered the events of the previous evening. He sighed then closed his eyes. Andrew was gone, and he was alone once again. No, not alone. He looked over at Elizabeth's sleeping body. He was not alone because he had her, and the others. He had been accepted into their small circle, he and Andrew. He got out of bed and picked up his shirt and ran his hands over the dried blood.  
  
"Gonna get that bastard for you mate. I'm gonna tear his heart out of his bloody chest for you." Then he looked at Elizabeth, "Better yet, I'll let my kitten tear him apart. She's got stones that one and she's got a pretty big bone to pick with that wanker." He put down the shirt and put on his jacket then walked out to explore the rest of the estate. It was huge. The home itself had 3 floors. The ground floor had a kitchen and a few servants' quarters, then a dining room, ballroom and a large parlor, which along with the ballroom looked out into the vast gardens. The second floor consisted of a 8 very large rooms 6 of which had their own bathrooms. The 3rd floor held a large library, and a large area set aside for painting and sculpting. There was a large iron spiral staircase leading up from the third floor to a door leading to the roof. Spike walked up to the roof and walked to the edge of the battlements. He could see the blue waters of the ocean and he could smell the clean ocean air from up there.  
  
He wanted this whole situation to end. He wanted to be with Elizabeth without the thought of this impending fight with that madman and his plan for the spear whatever that was. As he looked up at the sky he felt sad for her. Elizabeth would never be able to stand outside and look at the sun again; she would never walk in the light with him. He walked back down to the room and found her awake and sitting up in her bed.  
  
"Good morning." She said  
  
"Mornin'" he crawled up the bed to her like a cat stalking its pray. He reached her and kissed her lightly on the lips then curled himself next to her. He laid his head on her chest and felt her cool skin beneath his cheeks.  
  
"I felt you." He lifted his head from her chest.  
  
"You knew I was up?" she asked.  
  
"No, not now. I felt you when you died." He turned his body to face her and laid his head down on her chest again. "I don't remember the exact day, but I know it was you." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "It felt like, my soul was being torn form my body. I couldn't breath; I didn't know what was happenin'. That's how much you're a part of me. I don't' know what I'd do if I lost you."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere Spike." She leaned down and kissed his forehead.  
  
"I'm afraid for you pet. I'm afraid for all of us."  
  
"So am I Spike, so am I." 


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 39  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus was walking outside in the gardens, with Jonathan behind him.  
  
"They have the other piece of the spear. I'm sure of it." said Angelus.  
  
"How do you know that's what they were after?" asked Jonathan.  
  
"Because you idiot, what else would they be looking for. Amy said something about a vampire before she died. This vampire has to be connected to Elizabeth somehow. They were there the day Amy teleported to me, I'm sure of it. And they know I have that piece. That's why they were looking in my room. They must have thought it there, but that's not what troubles me the most. What troubles me is how did Elizabeth got into my room?" he stopped and looked at Jonathan.  
  
"All of the entrances are guarded at all times my Lord. There is no way she could have gotten in." Said Jonathan.  
  
"Yet she did. No, it was as though she came through the.." Angelus stopped and looked up at his room. He ran into the house and up the stairs to the room. He walked to the area that Elizabeth had been standing the night before. He tore the curtain down from the windows to allow more light in. As he examined the wall he noticed a faint seam going up the wall. He followed it and saw that it was a door.  
  
"Well, well Elizabeth. So it seems you do indeed walk through walls." upon further exploration he found an indentation in the bottom corner of the same wall and kicked at it with his boot. The wall slightly opened, and as he pushed further he saw it was a passageway. Taking a candle that had been lying on the floor, he lit it and walked into the passage.  
  
He followed the tunnel down. Along the way he realized that there were several extensions to it, yet he kept his back against the wall and followed the downward incline. When he reached the bottom ha felt for another opening and pushed through. He was now outside.  
  
He laughed as he ran back up the tunnel he had just come through. As he walked into every room in the Manor he saw that they all had the same access. He then walked down to his parlor and sat down in a large leather chair.  
  
The manor had been built by Elizabeth's grandfather, thus he concluded that since the Summer's home was also built by him that it too held secrets within the walls as this one did. The house had been vacant since Willow had acquired it. He thought that Elizabeth was most probably living with her former teacher Rupert Giles. He would need to investigate this further, but for now he would wait. They would expect him to retaliate somehow for breaching his fortress, but he would wait. He was patient and soon he would have that other piece. Very soon.  
  
Summers Manor  
  
Elizabeth and Spike had finished placing flowers on Andrews grave. Spike had spent the day putting grass on the dirt and making it look neat and tidy.  
  
"I was thinkin' maybe he would want a headstone."  
  
"Why don't you ask Xander if he would make one for him? He is quite handy with the masonry, believe it or not." He took her hand and kissed her palm. They walked to the stables and mounted their horses and rode back to Giles' home.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Jonathan closed the book he had been studying. He smiled and blew the candles out in the room and took one with him as he walked through the long hallway to his room. He had found out a very important aspect of the spear, two things really and couldn't wait for morning to inform Angelus. As he walked down the dark hall, he felt the air had become increasingly cold as he neared his room. He wrapped his jacked snuggly around him and continued. He reached for the knob but turned around quickly. He felt something behind him yet there was nothing there. The air was thick and stifling and he turned back and opened the door to his room and rushed inside locking the door behind him. The room was cold, too cold and in an instant he knew he wasn't alone.  
  
"W.whatever you are. I'm not afraid of you." He puffed out his chest, ignoring the bead of sweat traveling down his nose. He held the candle in front of him then suddenly the flame shot up to the ceiling. The room lit up and the candle burned down almost to the bottom within the torrent of flame. He dropped it to the floor thinking his hand would burn. He was breathing heavily looking around the room. Looking down he saw the candle still flickering and nervously picked it up what was left of it. He held it in front of him once more, and then a shape began to form.  
  
"Are you afraid of me now?" 


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 40  
  
"Who are you." Asked Jonathan, clearly shaken up.  
  
"Who I am is not important." Said a faint voice in the distance.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Jonathan began to feel the sweat forming on his forehead.  
  
"That would be rather obvious. I'm haunting you."  
  
Jonathan stepped against the wall and wiped the sweat from his face.  
  
"What do you want from me?"  
  
"There is something here. Something Angelus has taken from a sacred place. He means to do harm with it. What do you know of the spear?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh I think you do. What's more I think you were looking up something about it this very evening, and you also found out some very interesting things as well. Why else would you have been so happy." There was a mist forming, yet Jonathan still could not make out the form very well, "If you don't cooperate with me, I'll make sure that the next thing to burst into flames in this room is you." The mist moved closer to Jonathan. "I can do that you know."  
  
Jonathan gasped. The voice seemed soothing, yet menacing all in one, and he had no doubt it could do what it had threatened.  
  
"Please, if Angelus knew I was talking to anyone about this he .he would kill me."  
  
"Yes he does have a nasty temper. He is most probably going to kill you for some minor infraction on your part anyway. You know that don't you?"  
  
"What? He wouldn't, he needs me." Said Jonathan defiantly.  
  
"Needs you for what exactly? You're not much of a sorcerer. You have the strength of a tick, and don't for one minute think you're the only one that, well lets say, scratches him when he has an itch. You're convenient. A warm little body that he can do what he pleases with. And you let him because you think he desires you. Silly little boy. The only thing he desires is to cause pain." It stood silent now, with its hands crossed in front. "You have an opportunity here."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"To redeem yourself. If you keep walking down this path it will most likely lead you straight to hell. Let me help you."  
  
Deep down in his heart Jonathan knew it was true. He had been blinded by Angelus' promises that he would be taken care of. He had noticed a radical change in him. He had always been cruel yet as the days passed he had become worse. His lust for power had taken bits and pieces of his soul, until soon there would be only a monster. He looked at the pale white mist in front of him now slowly beginning to take fore.  
  
"All right. I'll tell you what I know."  
  
"You won't regret this. I promise." Andrew smiled. 


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 41  
  
Jonathan sat and began to tell Andrew everything he knew of the spear.  
  
"There are two main properties it has. One is the healing properties, and the other is the ability to make the person that wears it almost indestructible."  
  
"Wait." Andrew stopped Jonathan, "Tell me of the healing properties first. Lets say a person has been stabbed by it. Would placing the spear in its whole state on the wound heal this person?"  
  
"Yes. In fact it's the only thing that can heal them."  
  
"I knew it!" Andrew sat next to Jonathan, who looked at him confused. "What?" asked Andrew.  
  
"You're sitting. How can you sit? You're a ghost, mist, non-corporeal."  
  
Andrew leaned into him and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I can do a lot of things now thanks to Angelus. It was his arrow that killed me. In killing me he has made me this." He stood and spread his arms and looked at himself. "I can do anything I want to, go anywhere I want to and as soon as I figure out how to deal with my new status properly, I can most probably take any form I want as well. I no longer have to be afraid of getting hurt, or getting dead. Because, I'm already there. Now don't change the subject and tell me this. If this person wounded by the sword were lets say a vampire, then what?"  
  
This whole scene was becoming more and more surreal to Jonathan. At one point he pinched himself to see if he wasn't perhaps dreaming the entire episode.  
  
"Well, I don't suppose it matters. Whatever bodily damage the spear causes only the spear can fix." Jonathan looked at Andrew who was pacing with one hand on his chin and the other behind his back.  
  
"Tell me the rest. Tell me the other thing it can do." He said.  
  
"The spear makes the person who possesses it practically indestructible. Before Amy died she instructed Angelus to wear it within a belt. He has it on and the piece he has is inside of it in a pocket. Once he puts it together with the other piece then he can do and have anything in the world he wants. He will become strong and he will have power to control his enemies as he wishes. The wearer becomes almost hypnotic in his actions and words. There won't be a human on this earth that will be able to deny him anything."  
  
"Humph, key word, human." Smiled Andrew. Jonathan looked away from him.  
  
"She wants to kill him doesn't she?"  
  
"She's not the only one, there is someone else who wants to serve him his balls for dinner as well. I doubt either one of them are going to be very lenient. Can you blame them though?"  
  
"No. I don't suppose I do."  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Jonathan."  
  
"Jonathan you need to leave here, and it has to be tonight."  
  
"I can't. He'll come after me."  
  
"No he won't. He has more important things to do. If you leave now and ride all night you can be in London by morning. When you get there go to Mulberry Square. There is an inn there, it's the only one on that street, so you can't miss it. Go in and tell the innkeeper that Wells sent you to gather his things." Jonathan was about to speak, but Andrew held his hand up, "Don't worry, he'll let you into my room. I have some money hidden in the headboard of my bed." Andrew stood in front of Jonathan. "Take it and disappear."  
  
"Why are you helping me?"  
  
"Because I know you want to be a good person. You've been pushed into this life due to fear and loneliness, and I was once in your shoes until someone helped me. Jonathan there is a world out there that needs all the kindness it can get. Do your part and give some to people that need it."  
  
"Thank you. I .I promise I won't let you down."  
  
"I'm going to keep an eye on you so you had better not." Andrew faded away and Jonathan began to gather his things. It was past Midnight now and there would not be as many men posted around the property. He took a small bag with him and ran to the stables. He took one of the horses and led it out the rear and into a wooded area. As he mounted the horse he looked back at the Manor. Angelus would be furious, but soon it would not matter because he was now free of him. He rode away never to know of Angelus again.  
  
Giles' Home 1:00 am  
  
Elizabeth came home and decided to sit in the parlor for a while. She still had some pent up energy, but she knew that Spike was still tired from the last couple of days, and she did not want to interrupt his sleep just yet. Wesley had not fully recovered from the night Willow took out the fragment of the spear. He still felt week, but assured everyone it would pass soon.  
  
She looked out the window. The sky was filled with stars and she remembered how Willow, Faith and herself used to lay on the grass under the stars as children and talk of how their lives would be when they grew up.  
  
"To be a child again and dream such things." She whispered as she looked outside. Still she could not complain. As sad as her life seemed to have been, she had met Spike. And for that she would never be sorry. She felt a breeze behind her and turned.  
  
"Who's there?" she looked around the room and heard footsteps, yet saw no one. The air was cold. The cold did not bother her, yet she felt the drop in temperature immediately and felt the breeze again.  
  
"Right." she rolled her eyes and continued turning her head to see if she could see anything, " Well vampire here, so if you are trying to scare me its not working. Not a whole lot scares me. Who or what ever you are I'm tired and do not feel like playing games." She saw form in front of her, faintly at first then the solid form.  
  
"All right you win." Andrews emerged in front of her, "I didn't think about you not being scared. Vampires probably aren't afraid of ghosts." Elizabeth stared at him in shock.  
  
"Andrew?" she stepped towards him and put her hand out to touch him, yet it went right through him. "How?" she smiled and withdrew her hand.  
  
"I'm not really sure myself." He looked up, "I know I was gone. I felt myself dying. Then I woke up somewhere. It was nice, but I'm not sure where it was. I never really learned much about those things, but I know it was a good place. I walked around for a while and this voice came to me and asked me if I wanted to come back and help. It told me I could do some good down here if I wanted, so here I am."  
  
"Oh Andrew, I'm so happy to see you." She lowered her head, "I'm sorry though. I'm sorry it happened."  
  
"Don't be Buffy. I'm fine. Actually, I'm better than fine." He laughed and smiled.  
  
"Andrew, how can you say that? You're dead." she looked at him in shock.  
  
"So are you." He said.  
  
"Well, yes but you're a ghost."  
  
"Well you're a vampire." She opened her mouth to counter, yet realized she didn't know how to answer him after that one. She laughed and shook her head.  
  
"I think I see now how you drove Spike crazy." He had been smiling but now looked at her with a frown.  
  
"Is he okay?"  
  
"He will be. He misses you Andrew. He.he was devastated."  
  
"Devastated?" Andrew smiled. "I .well I never realized he would have taken it so badly."  
  
"I told you he loved you."  
  
"I didn't really believe you though. Devastated." Andrew looked at her with dreamy eyes. Spike cared; he really did care.  
  
"Andrew!" Elizabeth put her hands on her wais ands tilted her head.  
  
"All right, I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be happy about his misery, but it makes me feel good knowing how much he cared."  
  
"I suppose I understand. You said you came back to help. Do you know something?"  
  
"Yes, two very big things. But I can't tell you now. This is still a little new to me and I don't have the proper knowledge to withstand being on this plane of existence for too long."  
  
"When will you return?"  
  
"In the evening. I'll try to get back just before sunset. I want to talk to all of you, so please tell them not to be frightened." He looked nervous.  
  
"They won't be, don't worry." She smiled  
  
"And tell Spike..tell Spike thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For being devastated." He winked at her and was gone. Elizabeth ran up the stairs and into her room.  
  
"Spike," she jumped on the bed and began to shake him, " Spike wake up, wake up. You'll never believe who I just spoke to." 


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 42  
  
Spike turned over and sat up.  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" he took her by the arms.  
  
"Spike I spoke to Andrew. I saw him, I spoke to him." She smiled and hugged him. Spike was still. She pushed back form him, "Did you hear me. I saw him, he was here."  
  
"Buffy.you probably had a dream luv."  
  
"No Spike I wasn't dreaming. I came in and I went to sit in the parlor for a while. Then I was looking outside the window and I felt the room grow cold and this breeze behind me. Spike he came to me, he was here." Spike looked at her. He knew she wasn't lying because she had the unfortunate habit of babbling when she lied. And her words were coming out clear and concise and to the point.  
  
"How? I.can't.is he.is he all right? He's not sad is he? I've read about these things happening when spirits are sad"  
  
"No, he's not sad." She put her hand on his cheek, "He was fine. As a matter of fact he was more than fine, he actually seemed happy. Especially after I told him you were devastated." Spike looked at her with his mouth agape.  
  
"He was happy I was miserable?" Spike raised his eyebrows.  
  
"He's just happy you cared so much about him that you would be sad." She shrugged. Spike continued to stare at her then began laughing for the first time in days. He wiped a tear falling from his face and grabbed his side, which was beginning to ache from laughing.  
  
"That's Andrew for ya'. Even from the grave he's gonna drive me insane." He laughed and took Elizabeth by the waist and pulled her to him. His laugh touched her deep inside. It was intoxicating. When he smiled his eyes sparkled. She could see how much even in the dark. She touched his mouth with the tip of her finger.  
  
"I love hearing you laugh, watching you smile." she kissed him, "I love seeing you happy." She parted his lips with her tongue and let her kiss linger. After the long kiss, he drew back for a much needed breath. He held her tightly in his arms and rolled them on their sides. He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers.  
  
"What did he tell you?" asked Spike as he ran his hand up her back.  
  
"Hmm?' she took in his scent and opened her eyes.  
  
"Andrew pet, did he tell you why he was back?" she opened her eyes widely.  
  
"Oh, sorry. He couldn't say. He said he has trouble staying on this plane of existence for a long, being a new ghost and all. But he wants to talk to all of us about some information he found."  
  
"Maybe its' about the spear." He kissed her neck.  
  
"Hmm, maybe." 


	43. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 43  
  
The next day was spent waiting for evening at the Giles' home.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus had woken up in a foul mood. He had been calling out to Jonathan and the boy would not answer. After looking around the entire home and not finding anyone who could tell him if they had seen Jonathan, he decided he needed to get outdoors to clear his head. He spent the morning riding to the Summers Manor. As he approached the property slowly he looked about for signs of anyone living there. There were no horses in the stable and decided to walk around the home. He walked around the home and looked closely at the walls. He had familiarized himself with the opening that was outside his own home and was fairly certain he would be able to spot one similar to it at Elizabeth's home. After several times around the home he finally spotted what seemed to be a way in near the kitchen entrance. As in his own home there was a slight indentation at the bottom corner of the opening. He kicked it and it opened, then he smiled and walked inside.  
  
Giles' home  
  
It was getting close to sunset and everyone was gathered in the library. It was dark and only the candles on the table lighted the room. They sat quietly not really knowing what to do or say.  
  
"Are we supposed to join hands?" asked Xander.  
  
"Xander this is not a séance." Giles said.  
  
"Then why are we sitting here in the dark with only these candles lighting the room?" said Xander. Everyone looked at each other and then the candles. Without a word they each got up and began to light the rest of the library. They sat back down and as they did so a breeze blew out the candles on the table.  
  
"Andrew?" said Elizabeth as she looked around the room.  
  
"I'm here." They all looked toward the door. Andrew stood looking more solid than when Elizabeth had seen him. Spike stood and walked quickly to him.  
  
"Andrew? Is it.. really you?" Spike asked as he looked at him in disbelief.  
  
"It's me." He smiled and walked closer to Spike, "So you were devastated?" Spike smiled and shook his head.  
  
"You little prat. Do you know what I went through?" he yelled at Andrew.  
  
"I'm sorry." Andrew looked down trying to hide his smile then looked back to Spike who was also smiling.  
  
"I'm glad you're here mate, damn glad. I missed you, thought I'd never see you again." They stood quietly for a moment then Spike wiped a small tear from his cheek and cleared his throat. "So, uh, Buffy said you needed to talk to us."  
  
"I do. I found out some interesting things." Spike went back and sat next to Elizabeth, and Andrew walked closer to the table and noticed everyone looking at him.  
  
"Hi everyone." They all waved and continued to stare at him with confusion, "It's a long story, I'll tell you some other time," he knew they must have questions about his return, but he also knew he would not be able to stay for long.  
  
"I went to Angelus' home last evening just before I came to Buffy. There was a young man working for him who had been doing some research on the spear. I made him tell me what he knew about it."  
  
"How exactly did you do that?" asked Wesley ask he raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Fire works quite well when trying to solicit information from people." He looked at Wesley and smiled, "His name was Jonathan, and he told me that the spear does two things in its complete form. First it makes the person who possesses it practically invincible. It gives them strength, and some sort of hypnotic power over people."  
  
"Wonderful." Said Xander.  
  
"Yes, well bad for humans good for vampires. I don't think the spear will affect you so if he does get his hands on our fragment, you three will be immune to what ever power he is granted to him regarding controlling your will." Andrew walked closer to Wesley.  
  
"The second thing it can do will be of interest to you."  
  
"Why me?" Wesley looked at him.  
  
"The only thing that can heal your wound is the spear." Andrew looked at the group, "Only the spear can undo what it has done." Faith took Wesley's hand.  
  
"Do you know where it is?" asked Faith.  
  
"Yes, but it won't be easy to take. It seems that Angelus has it on him at all times. Its in the pocket of a belt he wears." Spike rolled his eyes and threw up his hands.  
  
"No wonder. He had it with him that night." He clenched his jaw and shook his head.  
  
"That's why the arrow we had kept moving." said Willow "Does he know we have the other half?" she asked  
  
"I'm thinking yes, especially after we ransacked his room that night." Andrew looked down at himself, and saw he was beginning to fade. "I think I need to get going." Spike rose from his seat.  
  
"Are you coming back?"  
  
"Yes. I'm getting better at this. Soon enough I'll be able to stay as long as I want and remain pretty solid with out using up too much energy. I just can't keep it together for too long right now. I'll keep looking for more." Then he faded away.  
  
"Well, it seems as though this predicament keeps getting better and better." Said Giles. 


	44. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 43  
  
Elizabeth, Faith and Wesley had gone out to the neighboring village in search of new hunting grounds. The others stayed behind discussing what Andrew had said during his visit.  
  
"God, we need to get that other fragment more than ever." Spike said as he played with the locket. Elizabeth had given it to him. He had carried it for so long and it had become something so special to him, she wanted him to have it.  
  
"Quite right. We don't know how that open wound will affect Wesley in the long run. I only hope we get our hands on it before Angelus gets to ours." Added Giles.  
  
"Well one thing that's out of the question is storming the manor. Angelus is sure to have more heavily guarded now." Said Xander.  
  
They were silent for a long while. Everyone was trying to think of how they could either get into the manor or lure Angelus away from it. The easiest way to get to Angelus was to get him away from the manor, but how?  
  
"What if I tried to teleport myself into." Willow never finished her sentence before the three men pounced on her.  
  
"There is no way on earth you are going in there." Yelled Xander  
  
"Willow are you mad?" added Giles.  
  
"Bloody hell Red, you can't be serious?" Said Spike.  
  
"But I could get in and out before he even realized what is happening." Willow pleaded her case, but to no avail.  
  
"No Willow!" Xander got up from his chair and walked to her, "I won't have you going in there and endangering yourself like that. He almost killed you last time. Have you forgotten? Because I haven't!" Xander's voice was shaky. His memories of the night when Giles walked in with her in his arms would never leave him. It was the first time he really ever thought he would lose her forever.  
  
"Xander please. I know I can do this." Willow practically begged Xander. He shook his head and took her hands in his. "Willow." He closed his eyes. He never wanted to hold Willow back from her potential, but he did not want to gable with her life. "I know that you are a powerful witch. But you don't have full grasp of all your powers yet. Please, for me, don't try this." He put his hand on her cheek, "I don't want to lose you." Willow felt as though her heart would break in two. He loved her so much, and she loved him. He was scared, and she saw it in his eyes, felt it in his shaky touch. If anything were to happen to her, she feared Xander would not come through it.  
  
"All right Xander." She smiled and kissed his lips, "I won't."  
  
Spike shook his head and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"I can't think straight anymore. I'm goin' to bed." He got up and began to walk out the door. "Night."  
  
"Good night Spike," Giles looked up from the spot on the table he had been staring at so intently as though being woken from a dream, "I think we should follow Spikes example and get some rest." The remaining three did so and retired for the evening.  
  
The next morning Spike woke up early. Elizabeth was lying next to him still wearing the same clothes she had left with the night before. He knew she had most probably just arrived a short time before; therefore he would not attempt to wake her.  
  
He had decided to ride out to Summers Manor. Elizabeth had mentioned to him in passing how she used to sketch to help her relax. He thought he had seen some sketch books while exploring the large third floor on the manor and wanted to get them for her. He crept down to the stairs, as he did not want to make any noise to wake up the rest of the household. Once outside he quickly got his horse and rode away.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus had woken up early. Hw wanted to continue his investigation of the secret tunnels in the Summer's Manor. He knew that eventually Elizabeth would have to do something with the home. Either sell it or move back in and he had hoped for the latter. He got dressed then walked to the stables, mounted his horse and rode away. 


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME  
  
Chapter 45  
  
As Spike drew closer to Summers Manor he noticed a horse near the stable. Someone was there. He slowed his horse, so that his approach would not be heard, then dismounted when he got to the property. Carefully he guided his horse close to the door of the home. He wanted the his horse nearby just in case he needed to leave quickly. He walked into the home quietly as not to disturb whoever was inside.  
  
He heard footsteps just inside the Great room and ever so quietly he crept closer to the intruder. He knew too well who it had to be. He felt a sudden rush of anger when he saw him. The audacity of this man never ceased to amaze him. Rolling his hand tightly into a fist, he held his breath and tapped the man on the shoulder.  
  
*~*~*~  
  
Angelus had spent the previous day familiarizing himself with the tunnels. Today he was looking around the inside of the manor, hoping to find possible hiding places for the other half of the fragment, as he was already sure Elizabeth and her friends had it. It was either in Elizabeth's home of the home of Rupert Giles. He thought perhaps they had some sort of a small hidden niche in the wall. As he was standing in front of the fireplace, he noticed two large finials, one on each end of the mantle. He took one and tried to move it, thinking it would open something, but it did not even budge. He then walked to the other and did the same to its twin. He pushed and pulled on it for several minutes and was sure he felt it move. Suddenly he felt a tapping on his shoulder.  
  
"Help you with that mate?" Angelus turned and Spike swung his arm and let his fist connect with Angelus' jaw. He fell back and Spike grabbed him by the hair and rammed the back of his head into the finial, breaking the thick plaster object to pieces. Angelus fell to his knee and grabbed the back of his head.  
  
Spike reached down and took Angelus by the lapels of his jacket and rammed his knee into the other mans groin. Angelus doubled over in pain, but Spike was not going to let him go just yet. He swung at Angelus again.  
  
"That's for havin' her parents killed." Spike punched him in the jaw.  
  
"That's for torturing Willow." Another punch to the jaw.  
  
"That's for leavin' her in that alter to rot, you sick fuck." Another punch and another knee to the groin. Finally he let Angelus drop hard onto the floor.  
  
"And this one is for Andrew." He swung his leg, and kicked Angelus in the ribs. Angelus rolled onto his side and curled his body up. Angelus was a big man, but he was not as skilled in hand-to-hand combat as Spike was. That and the fact that he had been caught off guard left him coughing and gasping for air. There was now blood flowing freely from his mouth, and his head was spinning six ways from Sunday.  
  
Spike stopped his attack and stood over him for a moment and looked down at the belt the wonderfully bloody heap known as Angelus McKenna was wearing. It was made of suede and was tied on. Spike untied it and slid it off of him. He turned and began to walk away, then turned back to Angelus and just for good measure gave him one more kick in the stomach. He smiled and waved good-bye.  
  
"I hope I was helpful." He lifted the belt, " And thanks for the souvenir, have a nice day." He walked out and got on his horse, leaving Angelus on the marble floor wheezing and trying to stand. He rode to Angelus' horse and took it by the reigns. Spike rode away with Angelus' belt and horse in tow. Angelus would be walking home today.  
  
Spike rode quickly back to the house. When he arrived he jumped off the horse and inspected the belt. He saw a slit near the middle and opened it. There inside was the other half of the spear. He smiled and walked in. 


	46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 46  
  
Spike ran into the house. It was still fairly early, and he didn't expect for anyone else to be up yet. They all had the habit of working late into the night, so it was not odd for anyone of them to wake up later in the morning. He was on his way up to see Elizabeth, when he turned to the library and noticed a light coming through the edges of the tapestry that hid the door to the lab. He walked across the library and peeked around the tapestry and into the room. Willow was standing with her back to the door. He heard something sizzle and guessed she threw something onto a hot surface. He eased into the room slightly and heard her talking to herself.  
  
"That's it! Cyperus, that's the key. Hmm. of course, it helps regulate the body's energy. Now all I have to do is write the incantation and you can call me teleport girl." Willow was writing, when she jumped. Spike burst into the room and she felt her heart in her throat.  
  
"Just what do you think your doin'?" Willow turned and tried to block Spikes view of what she had on the table.  
  
"Spike! My God you scared me. Don't you know its rude to spy on people?"  
  
"I'm a rude man pet, but mostly a curious one." He took her by the shoulders and moved her aside and saw the herbs and several tonics scattered on the surface of her worktable and then looked at her. "You promised Xander you wouldn't."  
  
"Well, no, not really. There wasn't actually a promise mentioned." She lifted her head in defiance to him, although she was afraid he would run out of the small room and up to tell Xander everything.  
  
"Willow." He crossed his arms and she slumped and looked down at the floor.  
  
"I know, I know. I said I wouldn't, but," she lifted her head and smiled at him enthusiastically, "I've figured out the ingredients for the spell to work with no danger of getting torn apart or disappearing into some other dimension, and I know I can do this. I know I have the power. Please you can convince them to let me I know you can." She looked at him with a pleading look.  
  
"Sorry pet, afraid I can't do that." He shook his head and she stomped her foot.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I've already got what we need." Spike held up the belt. Willow's jaw dropped and she reached out her hand and took the belt.  
  
"How did you get that way from Angelus?"  
  
"Go wake the others. I don't fancy tellin' this story more than once, so everyone finds out at the same time." The walked out together and then willow grabbed Spike by the arm.  
  
"You won't say anything to Xander will you?"  
  
"About what?" he said slightly smirking and then walked away. 


	47. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 47  
  
Spike ran up the stairs. He opened his room and jumped on the bed and bounced a few times. Elizabeth did not even stir. He jumped again, and still nothing from her. He got up and walked across the room and ran to the bed and jumped on it once more. He studied her closely, she wasn't moving. He rested on one elbow and leaned closely into her and whispered in her ear.  
  
"Ticklin' comes next."  
  
"No!" she sat up and pushed him onto his back.  
  
"I knew that would get you up." He smiled and kissed her deeply. "C'mon. Got some good news for everyone. Get Wesley and Faith." He smacked her bottom and got up from the bed. She grabbed his hand and kept him from walking away.  
  
"What is it? Tell me." She begged. He cupped her face with his hands and got close to her.  
  
"I got it. I got the other half of the spear."  
  
"Oh my God! How? When?" she got off the bed and began to jump up and down in front of him.  
  
"When? Earlier this mornin'. As to how? That'll have to wait for the others, but lets just say that if your ex-fiancé had a kingdom, I gather he would be wantin' to give it away for a horse right about now." He walked to the door and opened it then turned back to her, "Well what are you waitin' for, get them up woman!" he smiled and winked at her and closed the door.  
  
Elizabeth immediately changed clothes and went into Faith and Wesley's room. She walked to Faith's side of the bed and began to shake her.  
  
"Faith, wake up." Faith rubbed her eyes and looked at her.  
  
"Buffy, what is it?" she rolled herself away from Wesley to face Elizabeth.  
  
"Spike got the spear, he got the other half of the spear." Faith sat up quickly.  
  
"Are you serious? This isn't something you dreamed is it?"  
  
"No, I didn't' dream it. Hurry. Get Wesley up and come downstairs to the library."  
  
Faith shook Wesley.  
  
"Wesley, Wesley woke up." She shook him furiously. Wesley slowly turned to face her.  
  
"Faith? What time is it?"  
  
"I have wonderful news my love. Wonderful! Spike got the missing fragment."  
  
"What?" he sat up, "How?"  
  
"I don't know how, but get dressed, he wants to talk to us in the library." They got out of bed and got dressed quickly. Then walked to the library and sat down at the table with the others. Giles and Jenny sat at one end, then Willow next to Xander, then Faith and Wesley, Elizabeth sat in between two empty chairs. Spike stood at the end of the table. As he was getting ready to speak, he felt the drop in temperature that signaled Andrew's arrival. Andrew appeared to Elizabeth's left.  
  
"How did you know we were havin' a meeting?" asked Spike.  
  
"I'm a ghost, I wander, its pretty much what I do. I also happened to wander into Summers manor and caught your performance. That was spectacular by the way, thanks for that kick." Andrew laughed and nodded. Spike chuckled and turned to the rest of the group and began to tell his tale.  
  
"Earlier today I rode out to Buffy's home. When I got there I saw a horse near the stable. When I walked into the house I saw there was an intruder."  
  
"Angelus." Said Elizabeth.  
  
"Right." he nodded at her, "I managed to sneak up behind him and caught him by surprise."  
  
"What did you do to him? And please let it have a beaten to a bloody pulp ending." Said Xander.  
  
"Yes Xander that would be the correct ending. Angelus got quite bloody. I caught him by surprise so I was able to make a nice mess of him. Lucky for me he was wearing this." Spike held up the belt and looked at Willow and Giles.  
  
"Can you figure out what we need to do with this to cure Wesley?" Giles stood up and walked to him and took the belt from his hands.  
  
"We can try." He looked to Willow, "Let's get started Willow." She stood and disappeared into the lab with Giles. Spike walked to Wesley and put his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You'll be right as rain soon mate." Wesley looked up at him and patted his hand.  
  
"Thanks to you my son, thanks to you." 


	48. Chapter 48

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 48  
  
Willow and Giles each held a piece of the spear in their hands.  
  
"Giles how are we going to do this? We don't know very much about this thing."  
  
"This is a mystical object. We may not need to do anything other than bind it together and place it on Wesley's wound."  
  
"Let's hope so." Willow handed him her half and turned to a small cabinet on the wall next to the table. She opened a small drawer and took out a spool of thread made from spun gold, then turned back to Giles. He cradled one piece within the other and Willow began to wind the thread around the outside and inside lower parts of the spear. After she had run the thread around several times she cut it at the end and placed the flame of a candle against the ending of the thread and melted the piece into the rest. She took the spear from Giles and inspected her work, making sure it was firmly in place.  
  
"I think its sturdy enough, what do you think." She handed it to Giles. He took it and pulled at it a bit.  
  
"Yes, you did a fine job. Lets take this outside then." They walked out into the library. Jenny had made tea and biscuits, and the others were eating. Giles walked to Wesley and Faith.  
  
"Let's go upstairs. I think this will be a simple fix. We will let the spear do the work for us. We may not need to get too technical. I think that it wants to repair the damage it's done. There is an energy running through it. I can feel it."  
  
"Can I hold it?" asked Spike. Giles handed him the spear and Spike felt the energy vibrating from the object onto his hand and slowly going up his arm. It was a current of energy that was unmistakably the power, which Angelus was searching for. "This feels incredible." He smiled, then furrowed his brow and handed it back to Giles. "We need to lock that away somewhere." Giles sighed deeply and nodded his head.  
  
"Yes we do. This is a very powerful and extremely dangerous object. We cannot afford it getting into the wrong hands. Nor can we let ourselves be tempted by it either." He turned back to Wesley and helped him up. Faith followed the two men up the stairs and into the bedroom. Giles helped Wesley lie down and Faith come and unbuttoned his shirt. She pulled back the bandages and exposed the open wound, then stood back and looked Giles.  
  
"What now?" she asked.  
  
"Lets try the simple fix first. I'll put this on the wound; if it doesn't do anything then we can try some spells. But first lets try it this way." Wesley held Faith's hand as Giles placed the spear on his wound. At first nothing happened, then Wesley began to feel a vibration coming from it. There was also a humming noise now emanating from it, which could be heard around the room and throughout the entire house. The rest of the group that had been downstairs looked up. Andrew stood and began to fade away.  
  
"Something is coming. I can't maintain myself here. Brace yourselves, this is big." He was gone. Meanwhile upstairs, Giles felt the spear begin to heat.  
  
"Do you feel something?" he asked Wesley  
  
"Yes. God, it feels ..ugh.it's melting into my flesh." The humming grew louder and the spear began to shake beneath Giles' hands. Wesley's face contorted as the pain he felt was running throughout his entire body.  
  
"Wesley?" Faith started to touch his forehead, but then both she and Giles were thrown back against the walls as Wesley screamed in pain.  
  
Downstairs everyone jumped from their chairs and began running up the stairs. Spike and Elizabeth were the first to reach the room, but when they reached for the door they were also thrown back against the wall. Willow and Xander stood at the head of the stairs as they could see the door begin to buckle and light coming from the room.  
  
Willow ran to the door and felt the rush of energy coming from inside. She felt it inside of her entire body as she reached to open the door.  
  
"No Willow!" yelled Xander as he began to rush towards her, only to be thrown back as the others had been. Her hair was flying all around her; her eyes had become a bright shade of green. She saw Wesley struggling on the bed writing in pain. She held her hand out and drew the power she felt inside of her out to the surface.  
  
"Repare Longinus!"  
  
The room suddenly went still. The light faded and quite settled in. Xander came up behind Willow and held her up.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked  
  
"Yes, I'm fine Xander." She ran her hands through her hair and looked at Wesley.  
  
Spike shook his head and crawled to Elizabeth who was rubbing her shoulder.  
  
"Luv?" he held his had to her and helped her stand.  
  
"I'm fine." She turned and they headed into the room.  
  
Jenny was already at Giles' side and Faith was kneeling next to Wesley. He had his hand on the spear and slowly pulled it away. The wound was gone. There was not even a scar.  
  
"Wesley how do you feel?" asked Faith.  
  
"Like I've been hit with a bold of lightning, but other than that, not half bad." 


	49. Chapter 49

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 49  
  
Once week later  
  
After a week went by, Wesley was healthy once more. Angelus had not been heard from since Spike had his altercation with him, but they all knew it was merely the fact he was healing both his injuries and his pride. It was only a matter of time before they would hear from him again. Especially since they had the spear in their possession.  
  
McKenna Manor  
  
Angelus had recovered most of his health. As it turns out Spike had only cracked his ribs not broken them entirely. His face still had some cuts and bruises and the cuts were now beginning to turn into scars.  
  
Jonathan had disappeared. He left no note of where he was going and he had taken all of his belongings. As he walked to the small library he knew he would never see the boy again. He noticed a book on the table and opened it to a page, which had been marked. He read a passage, which Jonathan had circled. As he read it he smiled. Just as he had thought. The spear would bring him immense power and ultimate control. He slammed the book shut and walked out of the library. He had determined that it would be necessary for him now to ride to Giles' home. He would need to wait a few days to make sure his ribs were properly heard, but he would wait no longer. That spear needed to be in his hands.  
  
2 days later  
  
It had been decided that it would be wise for the group to move to Elizabeth's home. Even though Spike had found Angelus roaming about the hose, it was much larger than Giles' home. They had become a family and wanted to remain together, therefore the extra space would make it possible to have the privacy they all wanted yet still be in each other's company. It would also be easier to keep a watchful eye on Angelus, since the two homes were in such close proximity to each other.  
  
Giles had decided to take only a few pieces of furniture from his own home, and left the rest. The only room left completely empty except for the large table was the library.  
  
On this particular morning Giles had with him the last remaining books that had been left in the house. As he walked into Summers Manor he realized that he had left behind the most important thing. The spear.  
  
"Spike, would you mind going back to my house. I stupidly left the spear in the lab. If I ride back one more time I think I'll collapse." Spike laughed and slapped his back.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll go get it now. Rest your bum." He walked outside and got on his horse and shouted behind him. "Buffy should be up soon, just let her know where I went." Giles nodded as Spike rode away. It was almost noon, and she had the habit of rising at this time.  
  
Spike reached Giles home and walked into the library. He looked around. It looked so big without all those books, he thought. He walked to the lab and realized he had forgotten to ask Giles behind which brick he had placed the spear. He would now have to feel all of the bricks until he felt the loose one.  
  
"This'll take all bleedin' day." He took off his coat and began to feel around. So focused was he, that he did not hear the front door of the house open.  
  
Angelus crept inside and walked towards the library. Then he saw a door at the far end of the room slightly open and a light coming from inside. He drew his sword and waited. This time he would not be caught off guard.  
  
Summer's Manor  
  
Elizabeth woke up frightened. She looked around the room and saw that Spike was not there. She remembered that he had said he would be helping Giles and Xander move some of his things today. Still, there was something uneasy about the way she felt. She got dressed and ran down the stairs yelling for him. Giles was lying down on the couch in the Great room.  
  
"Buffy, he went back to my house. I forgot to bring the spear." Giles said as he propped himself up on his elbows.  
  
"How long ago did he leave?" as she finished her question Andrew appeared.  
  
"Angelus, he's there. At Giles' house. Buffy you have to do something." He disappeared quickly.  
  
Giles' home  
  
Andrew appeared in the small room as Spike found the correct brick.  
  
"Spike, Angelus is standing outside in the library."  
  
"What? Is he armed?"  
  
"Yes. I'll go and tell the others." Andrew was gone. Spike placed the spear on the table inside the room and drew his sword. Angelus was waiting. 


	50. Chapter 50

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 50  
  
Spike came out of the room warily. Angelus stood facing him in the middle of the empty library.  
  
"You have something of mine." He said  
  
"It doesn't belong to you." Answered Spike.  
  
"I say it does. What's more I think it's waiting for me right inside of that little room you just came out of." Angelus lifted his sword.  
  
"Right then. If you want it, then come and get it." Spike lifted his sword and waited. Angelus lunged at him and the echo of the two swords making contact could be heard throughout the entire home and outside as well.  
  
They swung at each other ferociously. Spike backed Angelus into a corner and grabbed him by the neck with his free hand. Angelus brought his knee up between their bodies and pushed Spike back away from him. Spike stumbled back and Angelus came at him, but was blocked by Spike's sword. They fought to the center of the room. They fought in one spot for a moment, and then Angelus forced Spike back into the table. Spike lost his footing and dropped the sword. As Angelus tried to take the advantage Spike swung his feet and kicked Angelus' legs from under him. Spike seized the opportunity and jumped on Angelus and began to punch him in the face. Angelus reached up and grabbed Spike by the neck. With one hand Spike tried to pry Angelus' hands loose as he kept punching him.  
  
Summers Manor  
  
"We have to do something. Giles I have to get over there." Elizabeth was pacing frantically, "Dammit, why can't it be dark!" She kept her pacing as Andrew showed up again.  
  
"They're fighting. I can't help him, please you have to do something." Andrew looked at Giles and Elizabeth with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Buffy I'll go. Just let me get a weapon." Said Giles.  
  
"You're not strong enough for Angelus. What if he hurt Spike? You can't take him on Giles." She began to run out into the daylight but Giles grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"Where do you think you're going? Buffy you'll be burnt to cinders."  
  
"Giles I can't just sit here." Willow walked into the room having heard the shouting.  
  
"What's happening?" she asked.  
  
"Spike went back to get the spear, and Angelus was at the house. Now they are both fighting." Andrew said to Willow.  
  
"Willow I have to get to him." Buffy rushed at Willow and took her by the shoulders.  
  
"But its daylight Buffy."  
  
"I have to do something." She pleaded to Willow with tears in her eyes. Willow looked outside. She wondered if her newfound confidence would allow her to do the impossible. She walked outside and looked up. If this worked, the she knew she could do anything. She focused her energies, and felt the surge of power within her. It began at the bottom, right in her toes, and inched up towards her feet, to her legs to her torso, up her arms and finally to her head.  
  
"Moon so full, sun so bright, make the day turn into night."  
  
The moon came into view and began to slowly cover the sun, until the light of day had disappeared. Elizabeth and Giles walked outside.  
  
"My God Willow." Giles took off his glasses and stared at her. Willow turned to him and then Elizabeth. Her eyes were the lightest shade of green they had ever seen, and her voice echoed as she spoke.  
  
"He needs you, go now!" she yelled at Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth ran to her horse and rode as quickly as she could. Willow regained her normal eyes and voice and looked at Giles once again.  
  
"We need to go too, we have to help." They ran inside and began to get the others.  
  
Giles' home  
  
Spike and Angelus were wrestling on the floor, neither of them gaining the advantage over the other for long. Spike pushed Angelus off and looked for his sword.  
  
"So tell me, what's it like to make love to a corpse?" Asked Angelus  
  
"Oh I bet you'd like to know wouldn't you? Is that what's got your knickers in a twist? That she'll never be yours? That she never was." They both stood and surveyed each other. "That ego of yours recover yet from bein' left at the alter?" Angelus swung at him and Spike ducked and grabbed him by the midsection and tackled him to the floor. As Spike was about to punch him again, he was distracted by the sound of a horse galloping toward the house. He felt her near. Angelus took that for his opening and rolled him to the side and took out a knife he had in his boot. He stabbed Spike in between his ribs and twisted the knife deep into his side. At that moment Spike screamed in agony, and Elizabeth fell off her horse. It was as if she had been hit in the gut. Something had happened to Spike.  
  
Angelus got up and rushed into the lab. He saw the spear on the table and put it in his pocket and ran back out. Spike tried to get up as he saw Angelus run out of the room. He pulled the knife out of his body, and felt the warm blood running through his hands. He crawled towards the door, all the while leaving a trail of blood.  
  
Angelus jumped on his horse and kicked it hard. The horse flew up the trail leaving the home. Elizabeth ran towards the house and saw Angelus riding away. She could smell blood, Spikes blood. She ran into the house and saw him lying in the middle of the room holding his side, and the pool of blood surrounding him.  
  
"No, oh my God, no. Spike!" she ran to him and dropped to her knees. She leaned into him and pulled away his jacket. There was blood all over him.  
  
"Buffy.. he's got it. He took the spear. Go. You have to stop him." He grabbed her blouse with his bloody hand and pushed her away.  
  
"What? No, I'm not leaving you like this. I..I need to cover that wound" She pushed his hand away.  
  
"No." he coughed "leave it. Won't help." He shook his head. "Too late for me."  
  
"No not too late. Let me do it. Let me make you like me."  
  
"There's no time. He puts that spear on he'll be too powerful. You can still stop him."  
  
"I.I can't leave you."  
  
"Christ Buffy you can't let him get away, not after what's he's done to you." He was growing dizzy, and felt his body become colder; he was losing too much blood.  
  
"I don't care." She caressed his face, "I don't care anymore; it doesn't mean anything to me. Not if I lose you. Please let me.we can find him, and go after him together."  
  
"Goddamit, get out of here." He began to cry. "Please Buffy," he whispered, "I don't want to you watch me die." He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear. "This has to end." She took his head in her hand and placed her other hand on his.  
  
"Spike. I .oh god, I love you. I love you so much." She cried against his cheek.  
  
"I love you. My life meant nothing until I saw you. I'll love you beyond this life, beyond this world Buffy." He moved his head and looked into her eyes, "You and I are not done." He kissed her, "Go on kitten, finish him." Elizabeth kissed him and placed his head softly on the floor, she turned away and ran out as fast as she could, but turned back one last time.  
  
"Spike." She let out an ear-piercing growl and ran out of the house. She found her horse and raced to Angelus' home. Giles, Willow and Xander watched as she passed them. They reached the home and quickly dismounted their horse and ran inside. Faith and Wesley were closely behind, and could smell the blood coming from both Elizabeth and the house.  
  
They reached the house and jumped off their horses and ran inside. Giles was bent over Spikes body, and Willow had fallen to the floor weeping in Xander's arms. Wesley walked towards Spike and Giles looked up at him.  
  
"There is no pulse." Giles sat back on his heels and rubbed his eyes. Faith walked to Wesley.  
  
"Wesley is he..?"  
  
"I don't hear a heartbeat. He's gone Faith. We can't help him." Wesley felt a tear fall to his cheek. It had been years since he cried; he had begun to think he couldn't. He had thought of Spike so many times during the years, and had wished he had stayed with him. He had come to see him as the son he never had, and now he was gone. "She needs us now." He looked at Faith and turned. They walked out of the library. 


	51. Chapter 51

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 51  
  
Elizabeth arrived at McKenna Manor. She got off her horse slowly and surveyed the property. There were no guards outside. She looked up and the moon still covered the sun. It was still dark. If she survived her fight with Angelus, she would wait for the daylight. There was nothing for her now that Spike was gone. She knew Angelus was waiting for her. He was strong; she could feel the strength in the current of air all around her.  
  
She walked through the gates, then up the walk and to the front doors. She kicked them open and walked inside. She held her sword tightly, and looked up to the balcony. He stood above her wearing a red leather belt, and she knew what was inside of it.  
  
"So. You've come for me." He said with a smile.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Look at you. That's a lovely shade of blood you are wearing. Is there any left in your lovers body?" he laughed and swung over the railing and landed just a few feet in front of her. The drop was 20 feet, she now had no doubt he wore the spear. He continued to smile at her and walked to a table and picked up a sword lying on it, then turned and held his arms open to her.  
  
"Come and embrace me Elizabeth, and let this be finished." He turned serious now, as Elizabeth swung her sword out in front of her and raised it.  
  
"Let the devil embrace you." They began to circle each other then lunged at each other. She blocked his swings and kicked him in the ribs. He stumbled back briefly but held his balance. She swung at him with no pause. She was not so angry that her demon had surfaced.  
  
He looked at her as he blocked swings. He had seen her like that before, when he placed her in that alter. Even as a vampire she was beautiful. He wondered for a moment what it would be like to be inside of her, and for a moment had envied Spike. Their swords had locked into each other and he backhanded her. She fell and dropped her sword. She got up quickly and kicked the sword out of his hand. She kicked him again in the stomach but he caught her leg and punched her face. She grabbed his hand before he connected with her jaw and snarled at him, then twisted her body and kicked the side of his head with her other leg. He released her and fell. Elizabeth crawled towards the sword that had fallen just behind her, but before she reached it Angelus jumped in front of her holding his own sword. She looked up at him and began to edge back. She felt the wall behind her, now she was trapped.  
  
"Now that's everything then? No weapon, no friends, no hope. Take all that away and what's left?" he swung his arm back, but it was caught in mid- air. The sword fell from his hands and he turned to look into a pair of fiery yellow eyes.  
  
"Me" 


	52. Chapter 52

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME.  
  
Chapter 52  
  
Angelus could not hide his shock. Blazing yellow eyes stared back at him. Before he could do anything, the belt was ripped from his waist and he was picked up by the neck and thrown back against the wall. He landed next to Elizabeth, who was now looking up in shock.  
  
"Finish it kitten." Spike smiled and winked at her. Faith and Wesley stood behind him.  
  
Elizabeth turned and began to pound into Angelus. She grabbed his shirt and began to punch him until his face was unrecognizable. She then picked him up and held him against the wall with one hand, and punched into his chest with the other. His eyes grew wide and he screamed in pain, as she ripped his still beating heart out of him.  
  
"I told you I would kill you." She dropped his body and threw the heart into the fireplace.  
  
It was over. It was finally over. She turned and saw Spike standing in front of her and ran into his arms. He was still wearing the bloody shirt. She pulled away from him and looked at his face. His beautiful face.  
  
"You were right, there was no time. How?" she looked back at Wesley. "I don't understand."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
As Wesley walked out of the library, he stopped. He turned his head and stood still.  
  
"What is it?" asked Faith.  
  
"Listen." He turned to look at Spike. "He's still alive." He ran to Spike. There was a faint heartbeat. It could hardly be heard, but it was there. He took Spike into his arms and caressed his cheek. Spike opened his eyes slowly and looked at Wesley.  
  
"Do it." he said. Wesley changed and bit into Spike. He had lost a large amount of blood, but he took only a small amount, then quickly punctured his own wrist and placed it onto Spike's lips. Faith knelt down and supported Spike's head. Wesley whispered into Spikes ear.  
  
"Drink Spike, drink and you will never be apart from her again." he felt Spikes tongue lapping against his wrist, then felt his mouth begin to suckle the blood from his wound. Wesley looked at Faith.  
  
"My blood has been a part of him for years. He has mated with Buffy and they have shared blood. It will not take long for the change to come to him. He will be strong. My blood will make him strong." Spike withdrew his mouth and closed his eyes. Faith stood and backed away. The waited. Spike opened his eyes, and Wesley helped him stand. They stared into each other's eyes. Wesley cupped his face with his hands and leaned his forehead into Spikes and closed his eyes.  
  
"You are truly my son now Spike."  
  
"As I've always wished to be." They embraced then pulled away. "Did she go to him?"  
  
"Yes, and there is no time to waste. We must go now." Wesley grabbed Spike by the arm and they all left the library.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"And here I am." Said Spike. Elizabeth kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She had thought he was lost to her, but as he said, they were not done.  
  
THE END 


	53. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
England 2000  
  
Spike sat in the library working on his latest book. The phone had been ringing off the hook. He got up and answered it.  
  
"Hello? Hi Faith, what's up?"  
  
"Hey Spike, is Buffy around?"  
  
"Hold on, I'll have to walk downstairs and see. Buffy! Where are you Luv?" Spike yelled down the stairs, "Ah there she is, hang on she's outside. Oh, tell Wes I've got that software he wanted."  
  
"Great he'll probably be over later then, he's been dying to set up the computer with all of the information we gathered over the summer."  
  
He walked out the French doors and put his arm around Elizabeth who had been painting the outside gardens. "Buffy, it's Faith." He kissed her and gave her the phone. Elizabeth smiled and took the phone.  
  
"Hi, what's going on?"  
  
Spike left Elizabeth and Faith to their gossiping. He started to walk up to the library again and felt the presence of Andrew.  
  
"So how's the book coming?" asked Andrew.  
  
"Not bad, not bad at all. What've you been up to?" he asked  
  
"Oh nothing much. Helping the helpless as usual."  
  
"Really? Is that all you've been doing?" Spike crossed his arms and tilted his head. Andrew began fidgeting.  
  
"Wha.What else would I be doing Spike?" he shrugged his shoulders and began turned away.  
  
"Oh how about haunting the Mulberry Square Inn?" he tapped his foot. Andrew turned around, not being able to conceal the look of guilt on his face.  
  
"Now wait a minute." He said putting up his hands, "I'm not haunting.. okay, yes I am haunting it, but it's for a good cause."  
  
"Oh I can't wait to hear this one." Spike sat down, leaned back into the large comfortable chair, crossed and placed his hands behind his head. 'This is going to be a doozie' he thought.  
  
"Okay, now you know that the place has been owned by the same family since we used to stay there right? Well they've been going through some really lean times lately, and there was even the threat of them having to sell it to some developer who wanted to make a coffee shop. A coffee shop, can you believe it? Like there aren't enough of those Starbucks in the world already." Andrew smiled, Spike stared at him blankly. "Anyway, I thought maybe if I went and haunted the place it would turn it into a curiosity, you know how tourists love haunted hotels and houses, so I was really doing it to help."  
  
"And?" Spike asked raising his eyebrows.  
  
"And what?"  
  
"And did it work. Is business better for them?" Spike leaned forward.  
  
"Spike they have the place booked for months! And all I have to do is show up every once in a while. I've even got help. Remember the whole Angelus thing? Well I've got Jonathan coming in there sometimes too. We rotate." Andrew nodded and sat down next to Spike. "Come on Spike don't be mad. It's for a good cause, and it doesn't hurt anybody. Besides I'm a ghost. I've got to do something with my down time." Spike couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Okay Andrew. But just so long as you don't put too much of a scare into those poor people I guess its all right."  
  
"I knew you would understand." Andrew began to stand then sat back down "I almost forgot. Don't we have to start looking for them soon?"  
  
"Almost. Willow's spell will begin to kick in at Midnight tomorrow. Can you be at Faith and Wes' after sundown, or will you be making a spectorcle of yourself?" he smiled.  
  
"Very funny. I'll be there. I'll see you then, say hi to Buffy for me." He waved and was gone.  
  
Spike stood and heard Elizabeth come inside.  
  
"Hey, there you are." She walked to him and gave him a soft kiss. "Mmm, nice."  
  
"Could be nicer up in the bedroom." He smiled and rubbed her back.  
  
"Sounds good to me." They started to walk up the stairs.  
  
"So what did you and Faith talk about?"  
  
"Just planning tomorrow. I can't believe we'll finally be able to see them again. It's been so long."  
  
"I know. I'm excited. Oh Andrew says hi." He picked her up. She laughed.  
  
"Did you talk to him about the Inn?"  
  
"He said he's just doing it because the owners were gonna lose the place. He say's since he and this other ghost he's apparently talked into haunting the place too, have been doing their thing business has picked up for the owners." He shrugged, "So I told him not to scare the people too much. Poor little guy, it takes so little to make him happy, I couldn't tell him to stop."  
  
"You are such a softie when it comes to Andrew you know that?" She pinched his cheek and he flinched.  
  
"I am not. I'm a big bad vampire." He looked at her and she smiled at him. " Well okay, maybe I am a big softie sometimes, but don't let it get around."  
  
She leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Just think in a couple of days we'll have them back with us. We'll all be together again."  
  
"We better get the rooms ready." He kissed her deeply, "tomorrow."  
  
In the time that followed the elimination of Angelus, the group had become closer than ever. One night a few weeks after Angelus was killed Giles, Jenny, Willow and Xander decided that although they wanted to stay together as they were, the four had no desire to live as vampires. After much thought Willow had the answer. She would cast a spell upon each of their souls. The spell was cast when the four humans were within a magic circle. Their ages at the time of the spell would be the age in which their soul, would in the future come to relive and remember who they were and their lives, in that time. Upon the activation of the spell, they would then seek out the vampires, who where always sure to be at their homes during the activation days.  
  
The spell had brought them all together twice before. This would be the third time. It was always a happy occasion, and was always followed with talk's of what had gone on in the lives of the vampires during their time apart. Knowing they would always meet again made it easier for the vampires to deal with the death of their friends. Giles and Jenny loved each other, as did Willow and Xander. Willow had worked the spell, so that they would never look any different then they did before, they would never fall in love or marry anyone else. They all spent their lives doing good things and helping people in distress  
  
Faith and Wesley had lived in Angelus' home, which had originally belonged to Faith's family. Wesley had maintained his holdings around the world and had become the benefactor to many homes for unwanted children. He had become fluent in many languages and had managed to keep a large collection of rare books on the occult.  
  
Spike and Elizabeth lived in her home. Spike had become a great novelist, and had gone by many names throughout the years. He never ran out of stories to tell, especially since they had lived so many adventures during all their years together. He became very familiar with all sorts of demons, legends, and mystical objects. Spike was the keeper of the spear. Between the four of them they made sure it would never be lost to them. It was too powerful an object to get into the wrong hands.  
  
Elizabeth and Faith became great teachers and protectors. They started a small school and trained young women to fight and defend themselves. They took on very few students at one time, and most of the girls had no families to speak of. The girls knew that Elizabeth and Faith were vampires, and took an oath never to reveal their secret. They were educated and well cared for. They were taught all facets of the occult, mysticism, and demonology. When they finished their education they went out into the world as the protectors of the innocent.  
  
Giles and Jenny involved themselves in Magic, and served as both Willow's teachers and students. The power that Willow possessed could and did change the world at times, yet she did not let it take control of her. Fate also needed to be left to its own device.  
  
Xander had maintained his skills as a solicitor, which made it possible for them all to live throughout the great many years they had without detection of what they truly were.  
  
And what they truly were was something beyond words and beyond comprehension.  
  
They were a family, they were love, and they were forever. 


End file.
